Local Produce

It's summer and the height of the strawberry season here in the UK.  Scottish strawberries in particular should now be in abundance in the shops and supermarkets.  Can anyone tell me then why my local supermarket has imported strawberries from the USA?

Finding shelves full of imported strawberries is not unusual.  I admit that.  Early in the season I am not averse to buying strawbs that have come from Belgium or even Spain because our home-grown crop isn't that great then.  However, come June and July you would expect shops to be stocking all the local varieties (am I expecting too much here!).  Well, not so in Somerfield, my local supermarket, who yesterday had shelves full of strawberries imported from the USA.  No offence to our friends over the pond who I am sure produce an excellent berry but has the world gone completely mad?  These American fruits were 'reduced' in price but I still wasn't biting.  A request made to a supermarket employee regarding the absence of local varieties resulted in a retreat to the store room where he did manage to produce one box. 

Thankfully I can vote with my feet and shop elsewhere.  Recently we found a new fruit and vegetable shop had opened quite close to our home.  It does stock local produce and the owner was rightfully proud to inform me that his strawberries had come straight from the fields only the day before. 

It is encouraging to read that more people in the UK are starting to buy local produce again (using organic box schemes, farmers' markets etc) but it is worrying that we can no longer produce most of our own food.  It's a sad fact that today the larger supermarkets have so much power and control over our farmers that many have gone out of business.  Convenience and choice are what we, the consumer, demand.  But at what cost and can we really say we are not responsible?