UK food prices to rise due to rainy summer

A summer of rain has resulted in poor harvests by UK farmers, as rainfall was much higher than expected and the heaviest in Britain for 100 years. 

It has hit the farming industry despite improvements in farming technology, and a survey by the National Farmers Union (NFU) has shown the impact of this weather on harvest yields. 

It shows that wheat was hit heavily, with wheat yield down 14.1%, causing low levels not seen since the 1980s.

British barley spring yields are down 7.4%, but winter yields fare better and are up on average over the last five years.

Chief combinable crops adviser Guy Gagen argues that this highlights the need for continual investment in agriculture.

Gagen explains that the wheat yields are low because: “The abnormally high rainfall across the UK since early summer this year has depressed wheat yield.”

He suggests that improvements in technology have prevented the yields being even lower.

Gagen further compares the extreme weather affecting yields to the harvest problems seen recently in North America.

As he explains through the NFU: “The poor UK harvest compounds a series of challenging weather events for farmers around the world, most notably drought in North America.”

James Meyer