Renewed frosts and snowfall across the UK are continuing to play havoc with cauliflower availability and threatening transplanting for spring crops.
Lancashire grower Peter Ascroft of H&P Ascroft in Tarleton said the situation is unprecedented. He told freshinfo: “In Lancashire we can’t grow at this time anyway and would normally be buying out of Cornwall to supply our customers, but the weather situation in the south-west is bad - they have never known it like this. We have had to buy in from France on the auctions in Brittany this week and we are hoping next week Cornwall will start to supply again.”
With snowfall and freezing conditions prevailing in Lancashire, the season from the north-western county could also start late. Ascroft said: “Usually we would look to start in another month’s time but we would have to have some pretty exceptionally warm temperatures now to be able to do that. We have not transplanted yet and the plant growth even in the glasshouses is slow.”
Wholesale markets have been reflecting these supply difficulties will several on the UK only having French product on offer. Prices have been up to 100p a head at wholesale over the past two weeks.
