Severe weather in Spain has caused large areas of crops to be damaged, and supermarkets in the UK could see salad shortages in the new year as a result.
The Murcia region in southeastern Spain has seen its heaviest rainfall for 30 years, damaging salad leaves, brocolli, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and citrus crops.
The region provides around 80 per cent of Europe’s fresh produce during the winter months.
According to The Leafy Salad Growers’ Association, some fields have been reduced to 30 per cent capacity after getting between 150 and 250 litres of water per square metre.
A spokesperson for the association told trade magazine The Grocer that these have been amongst the worst downpours seen since the farms were established in the 1980s.
She added that it had become difficult for growers to pick the crops because the soil was too wet.
But salad brand Florette told The Grocer that it was not anticipating supply issues in the new year because of its “unique position on diverse locations and integrated grower base.”
The damaged crops are particularly worrying for vegans, salad lovers and those resolving to be healthier in the new year.
In 2016, living a healthier lifestyle and losing weight were in the top three most popular New Year’s resolutions, and next month people are being encouraged to try “Veganuary” – going vegan for the month of January.
While many would struggle to stick to such a strict diet, a new lifestyle trend in which people adopt a vegan diet Monday to Wednesday and then eat normally the rest of the week is gaining in popularity.
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