For years, shoppers and politicans have taken low food prices for granted. But now weather worries around the world are making it increasingly difficult to ignore how vulnerable our food supplies can be. The latest chapter in this undoubtedly long saga was opened this week by the National Office of Statistics. Its latest report on food prices
confirms that fresh vegetable prices have risen by one third in the past year. April's warm weather and lack of rainfall has cut production while demand has soared. The average price of iceberg lettuce has risen from 72p to 99p and a pound of tomatoes now costs 74p compared with 54p a year ago, according to the NAO. Overall, food prices are rising at their quickest rate for 10 years.
Further evidence of the vulnerability of food supplies comes in the shape of the worst Australian drought in living memory.
It's time to rethink our policy towards food and our growing reliance on food imports. Unless we do, we could pay an increasingly heavy price for the food on our plates - when we can find it.