Agriculture Minister Poots warns of food shortages and price hikes after Ukraine invasion

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has warned there is "every possibility of food shortages this year" in Northern Ireland because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He also warned of "inevitable" price increases on food.

"We really do need to be prepared for what might come, if this turns into a prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine," he said.

During question time in the Assembly, Mr Poots told MLAs that Ukraine was a large supplier of cereals and, as conflict engulfs the country, the consequences on the supply of food from Ukraine were inevitable.

Edwin Poots also explained to MLAs that Russia was a big supplier of nitrogen which was vital for local farming. 

He said sanctions on the country will have an impact on the supply of nitrogen, but it was a "price that has to be paid" because of the actions of Russia.

The agriculture minister confirmed he was seeking a meeting with the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs at Westminster to discuss the impact of the Ukraine invasion on food chains.

Mr Poots also warned that the impact on the supply of food was likely to be "significantly greater than the impact of Brexit".