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Over the past 25 years alone, the UK potato crop area declined further from its then 150,000 hectares.
Today, the UK is the world’s third highest net-importer of food – behind China and Japan.
Expert Bruce Jobson believes we will see more, “It is not unreasonable to assume UK farmers will assess whether to grow increased crop area in Autumn 2025. It’s a far cry from 1650-1750, when agricultural production outstripped the five million population, making Britain’s agricultural production the highest in the world.”
Bruce Jobson is an expert in the field of agriculture.
In March 2023, his company Bernicia Media accurately predicted the 2023 Autumn UK potato crop would be the lowest on record at approximately 90,000 – 100,000 hectares.
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He put this down to inclement weather, poor farmgate prices and increased production costs. He believes, “UK food security has been sacrificed on the altar of political and economic expediency.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacted the farming community immeasurably with costs of products like olive oil and fertiliser sky rocketing.
Mr Jobson said: “Governments, including the UK, were not alerted to global supply and price volatility. Ukraine is the world’s fourth largest potato grower.
“Over the past 40-years, successive UK governments have eroded UK food security. During this same period, the UK population has grown by 20 per cent and food self-sufficiency has fallen by 30 per cent .
“In 1980, the UK was 80 per cent self-sufficient in food production. Today, estimates vary but it appears the UK is at best, 50-55 per cent self-sufficient.
“This decline therefore did not happen overnight and successive governments and supermarkets have been complicit in keeping food inflation down, by importing cheaper produce and promoting globalisation.”
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “Our commitment to farmers is steadfast. That is why this government is investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years – the largest ever directed at sustainable food production and in our country’s history. “
But Mr Jobson said: “The lessons of World War Two have not been learned. Nineteen-forty food rationing remained for a further nine years after the hostilities ended in 1945, with rationing lasting until June 1954.
“Some 50 years ago, the UK potato crop covered 250,000 hectares with the UK being close to 95 per cent potato self-sufficiency. Today, the UK is only 63 per cent self-sufficient in potatoes, approximately 33 per cent down in less than 45-year period.”
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