Britons brace for empty shelves ‘for next couple of years’ as food shortages threaten UK

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Mixed Britsh Farmer David Butler spoke exclusively with Express.co.uk about what UK citizens are likely to experience. Mr Butler touched upon the various reasons why there are food shortages, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine as one of them. The cost of living crisis is worsening in the UK, and many people are starting to feel the effects as grain imports are backed up and fuel prices skyrocket, globally impacting many industries.

Mr Butler claimed that we are likely to see noticeable gaps in shelves over the next few years.

He told Express.co.uk: “There’s no doubt that the current very serious situation with the awful war that’s going on in Ukraine is going to exacerbate that.

“So I don’t think this is a passing situation, there are obviously many factorial reasons why that’s been happening.

“They are very complicated and it’s only my view as a farmer, which obviously isn’t as professional within the industry.

“But, I think yes we maybe in store for, certainly I call the medium term, I don’t think it’s a longterm thing, but I certainly would say for the next couple of years we’re going to have empty shelves and we’ll be very conscious of that.”

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Ukraine grain exports make up over 80 percent of the world’s industry.

Due to the ongoing conflict, exports have been unable to leave Ukrainian southern ports, and Russia has been accused of trying to starve the globe in retaliation for all the support and aid being given to Kyiv.

Junior Analyst at the Centre for Maritime Strategy Benjamin Mainardi has been warning about Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin’s ability to block the West from supplies with its control over valuable shipping ports.

Mr Mainardi said: “The countries that are importing the most of Ukrainian grain are, as you mentioned, these countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa, countries like Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt.”

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“And you know, these states are not necessarily the wealthiest and the most stable domestically there.

“A lot of them are fragile. And once food supplies start being interrupted and the flow to these countries gets weaned off, there’s going to be a major problem.

“And you know, there are non-state actors like the United Nations World Food Programme. There’s also been a major buyer of Ukrainian grain. Just in mid-May, their director state that the war is going to jeopardise the food security of roughly 276 million people.”

Some Britons are already feeling the pinch as they have been having to use charity-based food banks, as the cost of living has created more poverty in the UK.

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Many local food banks could begin to feel the strain and pressure of their services as many people are continuing to be affected by the cost of living crisis around the country.

And some food banks have been requesting more donations and assistance to keep up with increased demands.

One anonymous food bank worker in London spoke to ABC News and said: “We are struggling as it is, but right now we’re in a bubbling pot.

“You’re getting people panicking, we used to be able to run to 4.00 pm, but now by 2:30 pm, all the food’s gone.”



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