The National Farmers Union (NFU) has warned of a 50% drop in UK-grown crops as gas costs soar to record highs.
The union said producers of crops who use glasshouses are looking at a “huge drop” in the amount they can afford to grow.
The impact hits protected crop sectors including peppers, cucumber and aubergines.
Talking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, the NFU president Minette Batters said, producers expect the number of cucumbers grown annually to drop from 80 million to 35 million and pepper production could halve from 100 million to 50 million.
She claimed the NFU asked the government to treat the situation as a “matter of urgency”.
“We have really got to look at the gas requirements for the whole industry and where to look to intervene otherwise we are going to see less British production,” she said.
READ MORE: Ministers have “no understanding of how food production works”, NFU warns
Batters also cited record-breaking wheat prices and potential reduction in exports from Russia and Ukraine were also fueling inflation and supply issues.
“I think if you spoke to any producer they would be saying exactly the same as we are. This is a global market we all operate in.
“We have to act to make sure that everybody can have affordable food. But most importantly that we don’t contract production. That is the essential bit.”
“Otherwise, we are going to see more situations like the glasshouses where growers are not planting.
“We have to intervene to make sure these businesses can stay operational and keep producing what the country wants.”
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