Food prices likely to rise due to Iran war, farmers' union says

The National Farmers' Union has warned that food prices in the UK are likely to go up as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. NFU president Tom Bradshaw told the BBC that the price of cucumbers and tomatoes could rise over the next six weeks, with the cost of other crops and milk increasing in the next three to six months. Iran's continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to higher costs for fuel and fertiliser, both crucial elements of food production. The issue is likely to be on the agenda when senior government ministers hold an emergency meeting to discuss the conflict's effect on the cost of living next week. Bradshaw said the pressures "span the whole food supply chain" and were something the "government needs to take very seriously". He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the effect of the conflict on food production "will turn the world supply upside down, and it will have a dramatic impact". It is not yet clear what increases shoppers could face, as farmers sell produce to retailers such as supermarkets, which in turn set prices for consumers. The NFU said that while some of the extra costs might be absorbed by farmers and businesses within that chain,