Food prices

Chris Lyddon
The Politics Show South West

Food bills could rocket if controversial European Parliament plans on pesticides get the go ahead.

Farmers leaders in the South West are worried that many pesticides could be banned, which in turn will hit yields and add to food production costs, thereby pushing up the cost of food in the shops.

One expert tells the Politics Show, South West, that shoppers could end up paying more for things like cereals, potatoes, bread, milk and pork and the price of some foods could even double.

Crop protection products axed

In the first reading of the proposals, MEP amendments threatened to take up to 85% of crop protection products off the market.

But farmers are hoping the proposals will be watered down when the parliament meets again in November.

Price of some foods could double

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ministers also hope pressure from national governments can force a change of heart.

Lower wheat yields

Some critics say the proposals could prevent the use of certain fungicides and result in substantially lower wheat yields, possibly even 30% below current levels.

"Just recently we have seen food inflation rise to 14%," says Sean Rickard, Senior Lecturer at the Cranfield School of Management, "now yields could fall by 20% and prices could rise by another 20%."

He has written a report into the impact of the EU's anti-pesticides legislation.

It warns that under the European Parliament's most restrictive scenario, EU cereals output could drop by about 100m tonnes, leading to an effective doubling in grain prices.

Mr Rickard says: "A 100% increase in wheat and barley would translate into at least 10p on a loaf of bread, 3p on a litre of milk and a 40p/kg increase in the price of pork.

"Potato prices would also double."

And goes on to say: "Dairy and beef farmers in the south west already consume a lot of cereals and animal feeds.

"Cereal prices could rise by 100%, so the cost of feeding those animals will increase by the same amount.

"That could impact heavily on farmers whose incomes still have not recovered from years of pressure."

Controversy over chemical ban

The controversy centres on the types of chemicals which Brussels wants to remove.

Controversy over chemical ban

They include banning substances which have "endocrine disrupting properties" - they could cause adverse effect in humans.

However, the public is already exposed to such substances through prescribed drugs, meat, peas and beans and products like soya milk.

Anti-pesticide campaigners are adamant a crackdown on the use of pesticides is needed to protect public health.

Georgina Downs, from UK Pesticides Campaign, says the new measures "must not be watered down by industry lobbying".

The National Farmers' Union tells the Politics Show that pesticides are already strictly controlled in the UK and banning those in regular use could even mean the death knell for some sectors of the Cornish growing industry.

"It will change the face of the south west countryside forever" says the NFU's Richard Angove.

Watch the Politics Show on BBC One at 12.00BST on Sunday.

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