UK relies on heat-stressed countries for fruit and veg it could grow itself – report

The Food Foundation has issued a warning about the UK's vulnerability to food price shocks due to its heavy reliance on imported fruit and vegetables from countries facing even more severe climate impacts. The UK, which relies on imports for about 40% of its food, including 80% of its fruit and 47% of its vegetables, ranks among the lowest among large Western European nations in terms of food self-sufficiency.

This high level of reliance on imports, notably from countries vulnerable to climate change, makes the UK more susceptible to food price shocks and supply risks, according to a report from the charity.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that without action to improve resilience, higher temperatures will lead to lower yields, heat stress for plants, and poorer quality fruit and vegetables, particularly in regions like the Mediterranean, North Africa, and South and Central America. The Cold Chain Federation and top food experts have also raised concerns about risks to food supplies, citing extreme weather, fuel shortages, and cyber-attacks as potential threats.

The Food Foundation's report highlights that 18 of the top 20 countries supplying the UK with healthy staple foods are rated as moderately to severely vulnerable to climate breakdown. While Britain could grow domestically four of its most popular fruits and half of its most consumed vegetables, it currently grows less than 40% of the domestic consumption for these items.

The report calls for increased government investment in helping British farmers adapt to climate change, increase domestic production, and ensure affordable access to a healthy diet for all UK residents.