Price of your food shopping could go up within weeks thanks to Iran war | News UK

The conflict in the Middle East is likely to push up the cost of food in the UK within weeks, a union boss has warned.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), said the whole food supply chain could be affected by the war, with the cost of some crops rising within six weeks.

Rising costs in fuel and fertiliser are some of the effects of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles around 20 per cent of the world’s natural gas.

Mr Bradshaw warned that a protracted conflict in the Middle East wouldhave a ‘dramatic impact’ and turn the world’s supply chain’s ‘upside down’.

He told BBC Radio 4 that the price of tomatoes, peppers cucumbers could increase next month, as those crops rely on greenhouse production.

The cost of other items such as milk and meat could rise within three to six months.

Farmers of wheat and barley would be better protected as they buy their fertiliser in advance.

Ministers are set to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the impact of the war on the cost-of-living.

The NFU chief added that the government needed to take the threat to food production ‘seriously’.

He said: ‘Amidst this volatile backdrop, it is more important than ever that government keeps other inflationary pressures within its control to a minimum to protect household.’

While retailers and farmers may bear some of the cost of rising fuel, some of the burden is likely to be passed on to consumers, the NFU warned.

The availability of some goods can also be hit by the disruption to shipping routes, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

It added that retailers were working to mitigate the cost for consumers and are ‘adept’ at managing disruption to supply chains.

Angela Eagle, the farming minister, said she was monitoring the impact of the conflict on the industry.

There have also been concerns over the cost of red diesel, with the Competitions and Markets Authority having committed to monitoring its pricing.

An extended conflict could also threaten several other sectors, including travel.

Airline bosses have warned that fares could be hiked if the war is extended much further.

While most carriers have ‘hedged’ or locked in fuel costs for the summer months, passengers could feel the pinch beyond then if the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded.

The UK is particularly vulnerable as it imports up to 90 per cent of its jet fuel.

EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said while there were no ‘immediate issues’, airlines were reliant on Gulf refineries.

The budget airline would not introduce a fuel surcharge, but passengers were likely to notice a gradual increase linked to ‘supply and demand’.

He told the Independent’s Simon Calder: ‘My expectation is that prices will go up.

‘The industry has no choice. It’s a low-margin, highly competitive sector. We make about £7 per seat. If fuel goes up £10, you have to respond.’

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