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The rise of plant-based eating is having an impact on beef production in the Bristol region, according to an expert in the catering and hospitality industry.

“Beleaguered” farmers in the South West are also being troubled by Brexit uncertainty, says Alex Demetriou, managing director of West-based purchasing group Regency, which supplies the UK catering industry.

He points out that demand for beef is down five per cent compared to this time last year - and it is having an impact on farmers' incomes.

He said: "It appears as if this has been driven by the vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian movement, which is becoming increasingly popular as a lifestyle choice rather than any kind of trend."

But Brexit, says Alex, is also to blame.

(Image: PA)

He says the drop in demand for British beef follows the uncertainty surrounding the UK's withdrawal from the European Union at the beginning of the year, which led to farmers slaughtering more cattle than usual.

He said: “There was an increase in slaughtering in the first quarter because of all the uncertainty around Brexit and the potential impact on the beef markets if we had left the EU at the end of March, as intended.

“The result is that there was plenty of beef in the first quarter, but we are now well into Q2 and production is low because farmers took smaller cattle to slaughter.

"Normally they would have waited and we would have had a more even distribution of beef in the market over Q1 and Q2.”

As a result, beef production is expected to fall by 3.5 per cent in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year.

But the price of beef is not expected to rise for consumers.

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Alex added: "Where usually we would be expecting to see some increases in pricing, we are now expecting stability.

“Turkey has stopped taking Polish beef, and it is therefore expected that this product will be pushed back into the EU and UK, which will also help keep pricing stable,” he added.

However, the price of fruit and vegetables, warns Alex, could well rise.

“There are not enough seasonal workers to harvest the produce, which may be left to rot in the nation’s fields," he explained.

Bristol-based nutritional therapist and vegan expert Anna Mapson said: "As well as the environmental impact of eating less meat, many people are starting to reduce meat consumption for health reasons.

"Vegetarians tend to eat less saturated fats and more fibre contained in pulses and beans, whole grains and vegetables.

"I'm seeing an increase in clients who have opted to reduce meat in their diet for ethical as well as health reasons.

"Even if you don't want to become fully vegetarian then adding more fibre into your diet can help address some of the health issues with eating meat."

Farmers are now calling on the government to increase its Seasonal Workers Scheme to allow 10,000 temporary migrant workers into the UK rather than 2,500.