Will the British cucumbers become extinct?

Due to British farmers struggling to make a profit on cucumbers, there is a chance they could go 'extinct', as major farmers in the field have either retired, closed their businesses or changed to more lucrative crops.

Fewer than 100 hectares are now growing cucumbers for the first time in nearly a century.

The drop in cucumber prices is partly the result of major supermarkets Morrisons, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's battling to match price-slashing competitors Aldi and Lidl. Cheaper imports from the Netherlands are also to blame.

The Cucumber Growers Association said "Nobody in the supply chain is making anything from the production and sale of cucumbers. Without an increase in returns the British cucumber industry won't be endangered, it will be extinct."

The average price paid to sellers for the cucumber has dropped to 28p a stick, having sold for 34p on average five years ago.

Production costs hover around 20p, except for in summer when they drop to 16p, meaning the profit margin for farmers is tight.

Last year Tesco slashed their price for cucumber from 65p to 49p. The move was echoed by Asda, whose chief executive Andy Clarke said the slash triggered a 75% surge in cucumber sales.

Aldi and Lidl have gone yet further, charging customers just 39p and 29p this week.

Source: independent.co.uk