24 February 2015, 15:16
24 February 2015, 15:22
not really surprising, its only 60% now. its ok relying on imported food to make up the shortfall but what happens if there is a drought (or a flood) in some foreign country your buying it from? I've always thought it was shortsighted in the extreme.
24 February 2015, 15:51
To be honest i thought it was closer to 30% than 40%
24 February 2015, 16:14
Yes but again, this is not because we can't produce more, it's more to do with the choice of food we eat and also the cost to produce it.
For example it's not viable to grow rice in the UK and it's often cheaper to import beef from Argentina or Lamb from New Zealand or grain from Canada/Ukraine.
It's simple economics rather than us not being able to produce.
Yes of course farmers don't like the fact we can buy it cheaper from overseas than from them, and for food security, it's far from an ideal situation but that is the case when you live in a Global economy.
So it's a case of low cost food rather than "more bad news...."
The alternative is your weekly food shop increases in cost by more than 50% - which is probably more of a SHTF situation for most of the population.
For example it's not viable to grow rice in the UK and it's often cheaper to import beef from Argentina or Lamb from New Zealand or grain from Canada/Ukraine.
It's simple economics rather than us not being able to produce.
Yes of course farmers don't like the fact we can buy it cheaper from overseas than from them, and for food security, it's far from an ideal situation but that is the case when you live in a Global economy.
So it's a case of low cost food rather than "more bad news...."
The alternative is your weekly food shop increases in cost by more than 50% - which is probably more of a SHTF situation for most of the population.