Mary visits South of England show

Mary Creagh MP, Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary, visited the South of England Show in Ardingly on 9 June to hear first-hand the problems facing local farmers and producers.

Food prices hit a two-year high last month, driven by a surge in costs for farmers and food producers. The driest spring on record has already severely affected many crops in the South East, particularly wheat.

Mary Creagh said: “Families are already feeling the squeeze from rising food and living costs. The driest spring on record in the south and east of England has hit farmers hard. Feeding our nation shouldn’t be left to chance. It is time for the Government to get a grip on rising food prices and put in place a real plan to help farmers and shoppers.”

Latest estimates suggest around 20% of the UK’s wheat crop has been severely affected by the drought, whilst 85% of cereal crops have been affected to some degree.

According to the British Retail Consortium, wheat prices have short up by 72% in a year, pushing up the costs of pasta and bread by up to 25%.