Extreme weather reshapes supermarket fruit and vegetable shelves

Consumers may see smaller pears, unusually coloured apples and occasional shortages of some fruit and vegetables in Finnish shops next winter, Yle reports. The timing of seasonal produce may also change.

Europe’s record heatwaves and other extreme weather events, including sandstorms, are affecting crops, according to Kaisa Malmberg, chief executive of Satotukku, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler.

“The main bulk of the harvest may be somewhat smaller, and the plant may not grow as large as usual,” Malmberg said. Heat and drought can also affect the taste of fruit and shorten its shelf life, requiring a shorter supply chain.

Most changes may be barely noticeable to consumers because farmers, packers and importers select produce and maintain quality standards. However, stricter European Union pesticide rules and more frequent extreme weather are making it harder to control pests.

This is particularly visible during Spain’s harvest season, when Finnish consumers buy large amounts of Spanish iceberg lettuce. Small insects may increasingly be found among the leaves, Malmberg said, even though all possible measures have been taken.

Extreme heat has also caused problems in traditional producer countries. In Britain, farmers are facing what suppliers and retailers expect to be the country’s worst growing season in decades, the BBC reports. They may need to relax strict appearance requirements for fruit and vegetables to keep shelves stocked.

Finland has also reported shortages of domestic tomatoes. Experts have attributed the shortfall partly to the timing of plant replacement and high electricity costs. Wholesalers have started looking for new producer countries. Poland, for example, was not yet familiar to Finnish consumers as a source of produce ten years ago, Malmberg said.