The UK is facing a shortage of food supplies. The fault lies with extreme climatic events which have caused a drop in production levels on farms both in Great Britain and, in general, worldwide.
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Damage to British farms
The bad weather also caused damage to the farms. Sheep mortality has increased, and cows have been able to graze less, which means less milk production. Economists predict a surge in prices of indigenous food products. It’s no better for imported ones.
Neighboring countries, such as France – which faces its lowest wheat production since 2020 – find themselves in similar conditions. On the contrary, other historic importers of the United Kingdom such as Morocco (tomatoes, raspberries, sprouts), are struggling with a heavy drought.
The case of potatoes
Let’s take an example in numbers. According to the Guardian quoting a major national retailer, “the wholesale price of potatoes has risen 60% year-on-year as much of the crop has rotted.”
In general, production by 10% because farmers have decided to switch to crops less dependent on the climate. Carrot and salad crops are also in similar conditions: less harvest, higher prices.
The risks for the winter harvest
The bad weather has also caused a delay in planting, which also means a “potential shortage of root vegetables and potatoes next winter,” Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, explains to the Guardian.
“Some farmers have stopped planning planting altogether, opting instead to leave fields fallow or switch to alternative crops. This could also lead to shortages of wheat, barley and pulses as it is currently unprofitable to grow them due to the late season and expected low prices.”
But how much did it rain?
According to Met Office data cited by Sky News, in the last 18 months England has accumulated record rainfall (1,695.9mm from October 2022 to 2024).
It is the highest amount of rain ever recorded by the institute, founded in 1836. In addition to England, throughout the United Kingdom, the 18 months preceding last month marked the fourth wettest period since records began, with 2,085.6 mm of rain.
With climate change certainly not going to go into reverse, the current scenario could just be the beginning of the crisis. Without a rapid turnaround, the current food supply system is unsustainable.
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