Everyday salad items are becoming more expensive as the US-Israel war with Iran continues to cause disruption.
- +Shoppers feel crunch as price of produce climbs
Consumers in the UK and other countries are seeing higher prices for staple items such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
Consumers in the UK and other countries are seeing higher prices for staple items such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
Analysts said the increases are being driven largely by a sharp rise in energy costs, following disruption to oil and gas supplies in the Middle East.
Higher fuel prices have made it more expensive to heat glasshouses, where many local crops are grown, adding to the pressure on producers.
Fresh produce is particularly vulnerable to rising costs because it depends on rapid, temperature‑controlled supply chains.
Higher fuel prices have increased the cost of transporting and refrigerating perishable foods.
Wholesale prices for some fruits and vegetables have already risen sharply, and industry figures have reported significant increases for certain items in recent weeks.
More than 80 million cucumbers and about 100 million peppers are grown each year in the Lea Valley, in west Essex, making it one of the UK's most important suppliers.
Jimmy Russo, president of the Lea Valley Growers' Association and co‑owner of Valley Grown Salads near Harlow, said costs have "rocketed".
He said the price of gas, used to heat greenhouses, had increased by about 90%, while the cost of fertiliser, needed to feed crops, had also surged.
Before the increases, Russo said his had business already spent about £1m a year on gas alone.
"These increases are not sustainable," he said. "It's absolutely frightening".
Russo warned that financial support would be needed if the UK was to maintain a sustainable domestic crop industry.
He said: "We have a brilliant tomato industry. We're growing 30 acres on the Essex-Herts border - cucumbers, peppers, aubergines.
"The crop is one of the best you'll find in the world. But, unless we get financial help, this model is not sustainable".
The longer‑term outlook remains uncertain. The Food and Drink Federation said that even if the conflict were to ease in the coming weeks, the impact on costs would persist.
It added that it expects UK food inflation to reach at least 9% before the end of the year, which could mean higher prices and reduced availability of some salad items in supermarkets.
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