Supermarket shoppers face a future shortage of strawberries and may have to pay more money for them (Image: Getty)
Supermarket shoppers face a future shortage of strawberries and may have to pay more money for them due to the impact of .
New research warns that strawberries could soon be fewer and more expensive thanks to .
Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that a rise in temperatures of just 1.6C could reduce strawberry yields by up to 40%.
If air temperatures become too hot this can affect the amount of nutrients taken in by strawberry plants and photosynthesis, which in turn can inhibit the developmental stages during flower formation resulting in poorer quality fruit.
Strawberries also require good water management to grow, with farmers often using controlled irrigation practices rather than natural rainfall to maximise their yield. But high temperatures can affect water efficiency which in turn can reduce strawberry yields.
As such, if global warming continues its course it is expected that strawberry yields will reduce by up to 40% and with fewer strawberries available, it is expected the fruit will become much more expensive for shoppers.
Researchers suggest implementing sustainable farming practices to help boost productivity, including optimising irrigation to maintain water supply during heatwaves, implementing shading plants to reduce heat stress and to schedule operations to avoid peak hot weather.
Dr. Poornima Unnikrishnan, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Systems Design Engineering at Waterloo, said: “This research shows how climate change can directly impact the foods we love, emphasizing the importance of sustainable farming practices to maintain a stable food supply for everyone.”
Strawberries are native to North America but are grown in many places around the world, including Europe, Chile, and China. The UK imports strawberries from a variety of countries including Spain, Egypt, Morocco, , Holland and Belgium, to ensure year-round availability.
The fruit is transported to the UK by plane, reefer containers and refrigerated trucks, meaning strawberries have racked up a lot of air miles and a big carbon footprint by the time you pick up a packet at the supermarket.
Many of these countries the UK imports from are at risk of drought and face significant pressure on water resources. If conditions become drier due to a warming climate, this will have a knock on effect on strawberry production.
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The Sustainable Food Trust warns: “Our hunger for strawberries, outside the months in the UK when they are available, has put Unesco World Heritage Site Doñana Park, one of Europe’s most important wetlands, in perilous danger.
“Illegal water extraction and a lack of government management has led to wells appearing across the area, which is depleting the aquifer. The region only receives 20% of its natural water input which has had devastating consequences to the ecosystems that this water supply supports.”
The trust warns that the UK’s reliance on imported fruit may cause food prices to become more volatile, leaving those with less money unable to afford a healthy diet.
It adds: “This leaves us in a situation where we could be exacerbating inequality abroad, as well as on our own shores.
“When it comes to water, it is clear that our taste for out of season fruit and veg is untenable. So, what does a sustainable diet in the UK look like? A good place to start would be eating more traditional fruit and veg that is grown easily in the UK, and that doesn’t require too much irrigated water.”