Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:43 pm on 17 May 2022.
I was making the point to you three weeks ago and six weeks ago that, because of the conflict in Ukraine, there is huge pressure on the inflation picture, that farms are having to buy seeds, fertilisers and other products that directly feed through into the food chain with the finished products that end up on the shelf. You did say to me, First Minister, that there is no crisis in the food sector. I put it to you that there is a crisis in the food sector, as the governor of the Bank of England referred to yesterday, but your Government dismissed the idea that I put to you about calling a food summit, to bring farmers, processors and retailers together so that we could discuss exactly what was required from Government and all sectors in the food chain to respond to the unique pressures that have emerged over the last three months. So, in the absence of us agreeing on the terms that the governor was referring to in his Treasury select committee meeting yesterday, can you outline to me what direct action the Welsh Government has undertaken to support the agricultural sector in facing the incredible price pressures on inputs that jeopardise the food supply, going forward, in the next six, 12 and 18 months?