Food producers urge shoppers to buy locally amidst Brexit price hike fears
Food producers in Sudbury, Lavenham and Long Melford say they do not anticipate food shortages and price hikes because of Brexit.
Despite threats of import delays and rumours of food rationing, businesses who sell at farmers’ markets run by Sudbury-based company Suffolk Market Events insist it will still be business as usual after Brexit, with plenty of produce available.
Company founder Justine Paul, from Little Cornard, said: “The meat, fruit and vegetables, eggs, honey, cider, bread, wine and much more available at ours markets each week has travelled from just down the road, and hasn’t been forced to sit at any ferry terminal in Europe.
“Traders at all the monthly markets have echoed and reinforced the message that there is plenty of local food right on the doorstep.”
Ian Hart’s company, Bee House Honey, has around 200 honey hives, including 20 hives based at Kentwell Hall in Long Melford.
He said: “Traders like myself are not immune to the undercurrents and ripples of political and economic uncertainty. But I have never run out of honey.
“The scaremongering of Brexit, and the uncertainty this brings, is the opposite of trading locally. There is no fear of running out.”
Jen Strolenberg, from Lavenham Butchers added: “With Brexit on the cusp, we are hoping more of the general public will support local, independent businesses and producers.
“We feel it important to know where food is coming from as, currently, all the big supermarkets are still importing venison from abroad, which seems mightily mad as it’s on our doorstep.”
Penny Finch, a vegetable trader at Lavenham Farmers’ Market, said: “Regardless of the outcome on October 31, we have no intention of increasing our prices.”
And Jo Henderson, a pork farmer at Sudbury Farmers’ Market, said: “Brexit will have little impact at all on us. All our pigs are bred in Suffolk and fed on locally-sourced feedstuffs.
“We keep our mileage to a minimum by only selling within a 30-mile radius of the farm. It costs the customer what it costs the farmer to bring the pig to market.”
