Vegetables are slipping in UK supermarkets, and this is likely just the opening chapter of a wider trend that could affect most of Europe. A famine-style pressure linked to a sharp drop in harvests in Alicante, Murcia and Almería is spreading even when those regions sit 2,000 kilometers away. Water restrictions linked to the Tajo-Segura transfer, combined with weather patterns that behave abnormally for crops, are hurting yields. Add to that a tougher season in Morocco, another major European supplier, and the result is product shortages, higher prices, and rationing in many British stores.
Alicante, Murcia and Almería are regarded as Europe’s primary vegetable hubs, meaning any disruption in these regions can threaten continental supply. Producers have long warned of this risk, and current conditions are pushing that warning toward reality as production falls and strain grows in the supply chain. Some supermarket chains have started limiting purchases as shortages widen across the shelves.
One key reason for the drop in crop output is the water shortage itself. José Vicente Andreu, president of Asaja-Alicante, notes that even before planting, several water restrictions were in place, which forced many farmers to shrink the scale of their fields. A warm winter then followed, bringing cooler-than-usual temperatures and little opportunity to compensate, culminating in roughly a 40 percent reduction in production.
The same pattern has appeared in Murcia and Almería, with similar factors at play. Morocco has also faced a poor harvest due to extended drought, compounding European market tensions. Andreu emphasizes that the situation is unusually severe and will likely spread across much of Europe in the coming weeks and months, influencing market behaviour and prices.
Climate pressures push artichoke planting back to save scarce water
The shortage of goods has driven prices upward. Artichokes are now around 2.5 euros per kilogram, a jump from roughly one euro less than a year ago. Lettuce has climbed to about 1.40 euros per head, effectively doubling, while broccoli has risen to 90 cents per kilo, up from around 60 in 2022. A wholesale supplier from Orihuela, Redonda de los Huertos, notes that demand factors in the price surge observed in British shops. The company director, Luis Gómez, observes that while harvests have fallen, there is an additional problem: distributors resist paying what producers consider fair value, particularly amid rising production costs. The United Kingdom remains one of the strongest markets for produce from Alicante, with exports reaching about 138 million units annually.