Like your steak rare? Well, sadly, it could soon become a lot rarer because of soaring production costs.
Producers fear a shortage of the popular cut will lead to it being taken off menus and supermarket shelves.
Farmers, unable to deal with ever-rising costs, are having to slaughter animals when they are smaller, leading to lower-quality meat.
Runaway inflation and the Ukraine war means fertiliser for grazing pasture has rocketed nearly 50%. And grain, an alternative feed source, is up 60%.
Matters have been worsened by the closure of a big UK fertiliser plant leaving the Britain with just one. Before the war, most fertiliser came from Russia.
Nick Allen, of the British Meat Processors’ Association said: “Quite a few farmers will be short of feed going into the winter. It will be difficult to get the nice cuts and consistency of cuts.”
He added that hard-up diners and shoppers were already opting for gourmet burgers as a cheaper substitute.
Shortages were expected to continue into the foreseeable future.
The Office for National Statistics says steak is up 5% year on year but steakhouse chain Hawksmoor revealed it was paying 25% more for the meat.
