Out of tomatoes?: How the weather is affecting our stores

Is your weekly shop missing out on a few regular items in the fresh fruit and vegetable sections? You partly have the weather to blame.

Locally produced foods are still feeling the impact of last year’s heatwave and drought. Lowering overall yields of produce and also affecting the quality of that which does grow.

Also causing problems with domestic food production is energy prices, with the cost of heating greenhouses unsustainable for local farmers who need the support of heaters for foods typically found in warmer climates.

Internationally, countries such as Spain and Morocco are regular suppliers of fresh produce to British supermarkets but have both suffered with poor weather doubling the impact on our shelves.

This includes a cold spell which saw temperatures dip below freezing in Spain’s tomato producing regions while heavy rain and flooding in Morocco has resulted in the country’s produce unable to reach ports for transport.

Supermarkets including Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco are already rationing items such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

Wholesalers suggest that limited quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables will persist until at least late March when leafy greens become available.

There are currently no limits in place for Irish stores.

Some shortages are also results of other international factors, but this serves as a timely reminder that the weather outside impacts more than just our choice of daily outfit.