As the Icelandic volcano Mount Eyjafjallajoekull wreaked havoc on the world this week, bringing aeroplanes grinding to a halt, Britain’s fruitful food industry has been there to save the day.
According to statistics from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), less than two per cent of the UK’s food source is imported from overseas manufacturers, positioning the nation well to cope with such emergencies.
One spokesman from the BRC told the Guardian: "The vast majority of fresh food sold in the UK is sourced in the UK and a very small proportion is air-freighted in."
In an interview with Sky News, another BRC spokesman heaped praise on the UK food sector, stating that the industry had shown it was capable of meeting the needs of consumers with minimal effect to retail choices.
Britain’s powder handling and storage industry is also well equipped to cope with the nation’s ever-increasing food supply.
The prowess of the industry in times of such crises could help to attract overseas investment, boosting our export potential and potentially creating new employment and processing facilities.
