Alok Sharma attempted to calm fears of food shortages caused by a fuel crisis today, insisting there was no 'immediate concern' and that the public could be 'confident' there was no threat to Christmas dinners.
The Cop26 president said ministers 'don't see any risks going into the winter' from a spike in global gas prices that prompted the closure of two industrial sites vital to the food and drink industry.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will tomorrow hold an emergency summit with energy bosses after the closure of fertiliser plants in Teesside and Cheshire.
A by-product of the fertiliser production process is the creation of carbon dioxide. It is used in fizzy soft drinks and beer, as well as by the meat industry to stun animals before slaughter, in food packaging to extend shelf life and to keep deliveries chilled.
If supplies of CO2 run short, it raises the prospect of meat disappearing from supermarket shelves within weeks, with the British Meat Processors Association saying it only has two weeks' capacity.
But Mr Sharma told Sky today: 'There is no immediate concern in terms of supply, we don't see any risks going into the winter.'
The Cop26 president said ministers 'don't see any risks going into the winter' from a spike in global gas prices that prompted the closure of two industrial sites vital to the food and drink industry.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) will tomorrow hold an emergency summit with energy bosses to thrash out a plan to fix the fuel crisis, which has sparked fears of major food shortages
The two fertiliser plants closed last week are run by the US firm CF Industries and produce around 60 per cent of Britain's CO2.
They were shut when a spike in energy costs – caused by low supplies and storage levels of gas – caused its operating costs to rocket.
British Meat Processors Association boss Nick Allen told the Sun: 'Everyone is outraged these fertiliser plants can shut down without warning and take something so essential to the supply chain off-stream just like that.'
Ranjit Singh Boparan, the owner of Bernard Matthews and 2 Sisters Food Group, warned the supply of Christmas turkeys was at risk, adding: 'The CO2 issue is a massive body blow and puts us at breaking point.' Ocado, the online grocer, told customers this weekend that it had a 'limited stock' of frozen items due to a national shortage of dry ice – solid CO2.
As well as the food and drink industries, CO2 from the plants is used by hospitals and the nuclear
