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

Endive farmers Emmanuel Lefebvre and Christophe Mazingarbe walk in a field of endive plants in Bouvines, France, September 15, 2022. REUTERS/Ardee Napolitano

BOUVINES, France (Reuters) - 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.