UK Farmers Harvest Over Half of Winter Wheat by July as Drought Grips 75% of England
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 13
UK Farmers Harvest Over Half of Winter Wheat by July as Drought Grips 75% of England
2 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 13
Summary
More than half of the UK winter wheat crop was harvested before the end of July, an unusually early pace that farmers say reflects severe stress from this season’s drought and heat.
Nearly 75% of land in England is now in drought after record-low rainfall and unusually high temperatures; England and Wales just logged their driest July since records began in 1836.
Cambridgeshire farmer Tom Pearson said even 11 years of soil-building and lower-input regenerative methods have not prevented a third straight year of weaker yields, underscoring limits to on-farm resilience.
Farm groups are pressing for drought- and disease-resistant crop varieties and easier approval for on-farm water storage, while the UK still lacks a comprehensive national crop-insurance scheme.
Across Europe, climate-linked farm losses already average 28 billion euros a year and could rise to 40 billion euros by 2050, with farmers bearing about 80% of that risk uninsured.