Drought conditions already hitting UK crop production, farmers sayCrops are already failing in England because of drought conditions this spring...
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
Crops are already failing in England because of drought conditions this spring, farmers have said.
People should start to ration their water use, the Environment Agency said, as water companies prepare for a summer of drought. The government has also asked the water CEOs to do more to avert water shortages, and the EA said hosepipe bans are on the horizon if a significant amount of rain does not fall.
Members of the National Drought Group, who met on Wednesday to discuss their plans, told the Guardian that there is “no slack” in the system, that water companies are “woefully underprepared” for drought and the plan for many is “simply praying for rain”.
It has been the driest start to spring in 69 years. England saw its driest March since 1961 and in April the country received just half its normal rainfall. Farmers have had to start irrigating crops earlier, and reservoir levels are either notably or exceptionally low across thenorth-east and north-west of England.
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According to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) some crops are already failing, and significant rainfall in early May will be essential to avoid significant yield penalties and further losses. Livestock yields could also be at risk; grazing is not yet short, but farmers point out that fields will need a decent amount of rain to get animals through the summer.
NFU deputy president, David Exwood, said: “The dry conditions and lack of any substantial rainfall has meant farmers in some parts of the country have started to irrigate crops much earlier than normal. The extreme weather patterns we have experienced over the past few years are impacting our ability to feed the nation.”
The last time the UK was hit with a bad drought was 2022, when crops failed and London and the south-east almost ran out of water and were weeks from going into emergency measures. There were also hosepipe bans across the country. Experts at the NDG said the conditions this year are similar to those in 2022.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/07/drought-conditions-already-hitting-uk-crop-production-farmers-say?utm_campaign=Waterline%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--XaSkB3ZMGcTtfx2BZ5kbhAepNALtGrUtGPf-wBTM5rUkXW9SUYOA3hfTxp9MJ-6VX8IlB_P4Ycvn6GkxizOGOpVUz4w&_hsmi=361337057&utm_content=361338707&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=49d78803-65ce-449d-b6e4-ecadd0774235%7C27995eb8-7e16-4337-a2c3-dbb1d9a757eaTaxonomy
- Drought
- Drought Modelling