Broccoli and cauliflower shortages could hit the UK this year thanks to growing conditions over the autumn and winter.
According to crop experts, the mild autumn and early winter caused the crops to bloom early, causing problems down the line in spring when there will be few crops grown which will be ready to eat.
And on top of that, British crops of cauliflower are suffering due to heavy rains which can damage crops, causing losses which will reduce supplies and possibly drive up the price too.
Hannah Croft, of the organic vegetable company Riverford, told the Guardian: “Our Spanish suppliers, who grow much of our winter broccoli, have faced setbacks due to heavy autumn rain, which caused quality issues and delayed planting for spring crops. This has pushed harvest schedules forward, meaning there’s a possibility of a gap in late spring.”
And weather experts are warning that crop shortages could become more frequent as climate change drives changes to the environment in the UK.
Dr John David, RHS head of horticultural taxonomy, said plants are flowering earlier as a result of global warming.
Guy Barter, who is Chief Horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society, had a similar experience in his own personal allotment.
He discovered that his winter cauliflower, expected to bloom in April, had already fully developed by the first week of January.
He said: “I don’t know if I have ever cut January cauliflowers before. I would be more pleased if these weren’t the April crop.”
Others replied to his tweet as they echoed similar problems.
@claremou1 said: “There’s quite a bit of confusion in the garden. Our Cornus Mid-winter fire is flowering and I noticed the Cornus by the fish lake at Wisley is flowering too. But 3-4 month early cauliflowers is exceptional.”
