Rising wages, a shortage of migrant workers and the higher cost of imported produce due to the weaker pound have bitten into profits.

He added that not all imported produce was subject to the same testing.

For him the collapse in the pound also helps because it makes his fruit and vegetables appear cheaper compared with imported produce.

But agriculture has collapsed and the markets are now full of imported produce.

As a consequence of the strike, no imported fresh produce now comes in through the ports.

As well as customers feeling the pinch, the cost of some produce has rocketed and the strong euro has meant that the cost of imported produce - which accounts for 10-50 per cent of box contents, depending on the season - has risen.

The Government has declared that it wants the UK to produce more food, which would reduce some of the carbon emissions generated by importing produce, as well as making Britain more self-sufficient.

SPANISH SLUGS: In Britain as a result of poor handling of imported produce.

A budget supermarket chain has been accused of misleading customers into thinking they are buying British fruit and vegetables by placing the British Olympic team logo on imported produce.

He chose the Latin word fera (' wild ') to reflect the largely foraged British cuisine he has pioneered at L'Enclume (3) in Cumbria, although he has relaxed elements of his selfimposed ban on imported produce.