Milk shortages could be coming to Britain as the dairy industry fears it may end up being crippled by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Price surges of petrol, fertiliser and food for cattle, along with threats to the supply chain have plunged dairy farming into an even deeper crisis.
It may leave supermarkets running out of the white stuff unless farmers can recoup a rise in costs, the boss of Danish milk giant Arla Foods warned.
‘We are likely to have supply problems in May or June of this year,’ Ash Amirahmadi said.
‘If retailers are willing to stump up what’s required, we won’t have supply issues.
‘But if that doesn’t happen, we may be looking at a 4 to 5% shortfall. Shops could run out of milk.’
Consumers are already feeling the increase hitting their pockets, according to research by the comparison website Trolley.co.uk.
Data reveals that across 116 different milk products in February, the average price was up 9p from September to £1.43.
A two-litre bottle of Cravendale semi-skimmed milk jumped by 22p, or 12.6%, to an average of £1.97 in the past year.
Experts also believe bread, potato and pasta prices could jump by as much as 50%, which could take the country back to the first few months of lockdown, when shelves were emptied of essential items.
The cost of sunflower oil is also soaring, which is having a knock-on effect for fish and chip shop owners.
Andrew Cook, the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said: I’ve been in the business 22 years and this is the biggest threat I’ve seen.’
As Russia and Ukraine represent more than half of the world’s supply of sunflower oil and 30% of wheat, grain prices have already exceeded those at ‘the start of the Arab Spring and the food riots of 2007-2008’, according to the United Nations chief.
Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the war is holding ‘a sword of Damocles’ over the global economy, particularly developing countries.
‘Food, fuel and fertilizer prices are skyrocketing,’ he said. ‘Supply chains are being disrupted.
‘And the costs and delays of transportation of imported goods – when available – are at record levels.
‘All of this is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe.’
Mr Guterres added the war has shown ‘how the global addiction to fossil fuels is placing energy security, climate action and the entire global economy at the mercy of geopolitics’.
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