The harvest in England is the second worst on record due to excessive rainfall

The wheat harvest in England is projected to be 21% lower, with British wine producers also significantly affected. England has experienced its second worst harvest on record, raising concerns for the upcoming year, following heavy rainfall last winter that impacted key crops like wheat and oats.

The cold and damp weather, persisting from last autumn through spring and early summer, has severely hit the burgeoning UK wine industry, with producers reporting harvest reductions of between 75% and one-third, depending on the region.

According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), the wheat yield is estimated at 10 million tonnes, a decline of 21% from 2023. Additionally, winter barley production is down 26% compared to the previous year, and the winter oilseed rape harvest has fallen by 32%, as per data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The ECIU anticipates farmers may incur a loss of £600 million across five key crops—wheat, winter and spring barley, oats, and oilseed rape—with an overall production decrease of 15%. Tom Lancaster, a land, food, and farming analyst at the ECIU, stated that this year's harvest was a disappointment, attributing it to climate change. He noted that while consumers have been somewhat protected by increased imports, British farmers have faced the brunt of this year's poor harvest.

Lancaster highlighted that record rainfall in September hindered the new planting season, causing delays in some regions and leading to missed opportunities for a more productive winter harvest, pushing farmers to wait until spring.

Colin Chappell, an arable farmer in Lincolnshire, expressed concerns, noting that recent heavy rainfall has put many farms at risk. Some farms in southern England have lost crops for two consecutive years, and many farmers are now dependent on spring wheat, which yields only about half of what winter wheat produces.

Chappell pointed out that autumn planting is becoming unfeasible due to flooding, while spring planting presents its own risks because of potential drought conditions. Lancaster also urged the government to utilize the upcoming budget to support more sustainable farming practices that would help build resilience against extreme weather events in the UK.

Concerns over staple crops coincide with news that the British wine harvest may drop significantly from last year's record levels due to the cold and wet summer, leading to issues with mould, disease, and reduced grape yields. Independent growers have reported that it has been a "challenging season," especially for vineyards in the south-west, northern England, and parts of Wales.

Duncan Schwab, head winemaker at Sandridge Barton in Devon, indicated that he anticipates a 70% reduction in volumes compared to last year. He noted that many growers in the south-west are facing similar challenges. Plumpton Wine Estate in Sussex reported harvesting only half of last year's amount due to disease pressure resulting from constant rainfall.

The mild and wet winter allowed diseases to proliferate in the vineyards, and the heavy rains in April and May hindered treatment efforts due to boggy conditions limiting equipment use. Despite the setbacks, Schwab mentioned that wine prices are unlikely to increase significantly, as many winemakers have stocks from last year's record harvest to help balance supply fluctuations.