Europe's vegetable farmers warn of shortages as energy crisis bites

Surging power and gas prices will impact crops grown through the winter in heated greenhouses such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers

Surging gas prices are the biggest cost vegetable farmers cultivating inside greenhouses face, farmers said. Picture: AP Photo/Manu Fernandez.

Emmanuel Lefebvre produces thousands of tonnes of endives on his farm in northern France annually, but this year he may abandon his crop because of the crippling energy costs required to freeze the harvested bulbs.

Across northern and western Europe, vegetable producers are contemplating halting their activities because of the financial hit from Europe's energy crisis, further threatening food supplies.