The war in Ukraine has sparked "dramatic" rises in the cost of farming in East Anglia - prompting an urgent plea for government action to bolster food security.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) warned that the market volatility caused by the Russian invasion risks "a crisis of confidence" that could lead to "a minimum double-digit drop in production by 2023".

East Anglian farmers are facing soaring prices for fertiliser, diesel and animal feed as the conflict disrupts exports from the war zone and ramps up production costs.

Over-100-people-gather-for-anti-war-protest-ffffffffe7f6aa11

The NFU says while ministers' attention is rightly focused on attempting to resolve the humanitarian tragedy in Ukraine, it must also address the economic consequences for the UK - and its food security.

In particular, it highlights the impact on supplies of Russian gas, which plays a critical role in food production processes and is linked to the production of fertiliser, which has seen costs leap 200pc year on year - prompting farmers to consider using less, which would hit UK yields.

Meanwhile, the threat to crops from Ukraine and Russia - which usually account for 30pc of world wheat exports alongside other major commodity crops - has sent prices sky-rocketing for both consumer foods and livestock rations.

The NFU has outlined a raft of proposed government actions, including:

  • To "preserve, protect and prioritise gas supplies for food and fertiliser production".
  • An industry-government task-force to tackle the growing "crop nutrient gap" facing the food industry for at least the next two years, as artificial fertiliser becomes more scarce and expensive.
  • An immediate evaluation of the immigration system to alleviate acute labour shortages - particularly as Ukrainian workers have represented around 60pc of the seasonal fruit and veg workforce since the UK left the EU.
  • An immediate pause to the continuing post-Brexit phase-out of EU subsidies for two years to "deliver some breathing space for farmers battling huge cost inflation".

NFU East Anglia regional director Gary Ford said: “Like everyone, we are watching in absolute horror at what is happening to the country of Ukraine and its people.

"Many farm businesses in our region will have employed Ukrainian workers and some have links to farm businesses there.

“The Russian invasion has been absolutely devastating and we have offered assistance to Ukrainian farmers in any way possible.

“The war has also focused attention on the importance and fragility of food security, both at home and abroad.

“There are some clear short and long-term actions that government can take to maintain confidence and stability across the UK’s food producing businesses.

“We have shared these with government and we want to stress that we stand ready to take these forward together, in order to navigate the extreme volatility we see today and expect to grow in the coming months.”