Trade of fruit and veg picks up at independent farm shop while supermarkets face shortages

Lee's Farm Shop near Claverley, which has just been taken over by new management, says there has been an increase in the number of people through the doors since supermarkets announced the rationing of some produce.

Stores including Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco have placed limits on items such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers due to shortages.

The shortages of fruit and vegetables have been put down to bad weather in southern Europe and Africa, as well as high energy prices that have meant some producers are reducing the amount of greenhouse growing in the UK and the Netherlands.

But Craig Simmons, who took over the running of Lee's Farm Shop in January this year from owner Bob Lee, said there is plenty of produce available but that shoppers just have to be willing to pay higher prices at the moment.

"The wholesalers are full of produce but you have to be willing to pay for it, which I don't think the supermarkets are," he said.

"Tomatoes in particular have risen in price by around 50 to 60 per cent, but as you can see, our shop is full of produce and we have lots of varieties to choose from too.

"We've noticed it has been busier the last couple of days, which is presumably because people can't get their produce at the supermarkets."

The farm shop, which sits on the B4176, has been running for more than 50 years and receives a steady stream of customers all week, mostly from the Shropshire area.

"Most people who come here are local," said Mr Simmons. "The road has a lot of traffic that is on its way to Bridgnorth so a lot of people stop by if they are heading that way - it is a very busy stretch of road."

One of the customers, John Turner, 77, from Sedgley, said he had been visiting Lee's Farm Shop "for years".

"When you buy your fruit and veg here, it stays fresh for weeks," he said. "I don't go to the supermarkets. I don't trust them. I want fresh stuff and you always get it here."

Mr Simmons, who also runs an online business called onlinefruitandveg.com that delivers fresh produce across the UK and sells his wares at five markets in the region, said the current shortages and price hikes are likely to end once locally produced fruit and veg returns to the shelves in the warmer months.

"At the moment a lot of produce in the shop is imported but once the growing season starts in the UK, a lot more of the produce will be locally sourced and much cheaper," he said.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffeys told the Commons on Thursday that the fruit and veg "situation will last about another two to four weeks".

Responding to an urgent question in the House of Commons, Ms Coffey said: "We anticipate the situation will last about another two to four weeks.

"It is important that we try and make sure that we get alternative sourcing options."

She said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had already been in discussion with retailers.

"It is why there will be further discussions led by ministers as well, so that we can try and get over this and try and avoid similar situations in the future."

At present, Tesco customers can buy up to three tomatoes, three peppers and three cucumbers in one visit.

Asda has the same restrictions on those products and has also put limits on lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.

Aldi has imposed a limit of three per customer on sales of peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

At Morrisons, shoppers are restricted to two tomatoes, two cucumbers, two lettuces and two peppers.