UK farmers say food supplies are at risk as their costs rise and supermarkets are slow to respond

The Ulster Farmers’ Union says the UK’s food supply could come under more pressure if big retailers do not do more to help with rising farm costs. The group explained that farmers are facing “unprecedented” financial stress, especially as the costs of fuel and fertilizer are going up faster than the prices they get for their products. This means farmers are left to cover most of the extra costs themselves.

This warning comes as UK inflation hit 3.3% in the year to March, mostly because of higher energy and fuel prices. The union says the problem is even worse for farmers, especially in spring when they need more supplies. UFU President William Irvine said many farmers are dealing with “sustained and, in many cases, unsustainable” cost increases, and cashflow problems are getting worse across the industry.

The union also said there is a gap between what farmers face and what retailers charge. They warned that trying to protect shoppers from higher prices should not make things worse for farmers, who already have small profit margins. The union added that ongoing changes in input costs are affecting farmers’ decisions and could lower production, which might mean the UK has to import more food.

The UFU wants urgent talks with top retailers to make costs more transparent and share them more fairly across the supply chain. They said that if nothing is done, it could weaken the UK’s ability to produce its own food and threaten food security.

Source: Farming UK