Volcanic ash highlights major flaws in food security

The NFU said the cloud of ash – caused by an eruption at the Eyjafjallajökull crater in Iceland – posed only a very low risk to animal welfare, but the more serious concern was a potential shortage of food.

Fears had been raised the potentially toxic dust would fall to the ground, potentially poisoning livestock but the NFU’s acting director of communications Terry Jones said the threat at present was very low.

He said: “We are monitoring the situation closely but at this stage the risk to animal welfare here from volcanic ash appears to be very low.

“In the event of rain it is anticipated that only very low concentrations of volcanic ash would be deposited in fields and towns.

“Rainfall over the UK could cause a small amount of the ash to be deposited over the country but quantities are expected to be too small to cause health effects.”

He said reports of potential food shortages were most likely to be ‘scaremongering’ as only a small fraction of food in the UK is imported by air.

But he said the concerns raised questions over food security in the UK.

He said: “With just one and a half per cent of fresh fruit and vegetables brought into the UK by airfreight, it is likely that this is scaremongering.

“However, this current situation does highlight the importance of having strong domestic production here in the UK. It also demonstrates how vulnerable global agricultural trade could be to extreme climatic events and why we need to invest in a robust and competitive farming sector.

“The number of people buying British is on the increase and our farmers and growers will strive to keep the supermarket shelves stocked over the coming weeks.

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