UK harvest is one of the worst in 40 years

UK cereal and oilseed production has this year recorded its third worst harvest since modern records began in 1984, according to data published by the Department for Rural Affairs (Defra). Total production of key crops such as wheat, barley, oats and rapeseed has been drastically affected, with yields well below the average of the last five years. Among the most alarming data is wheat, whose harvest reached 11.1 Mt, 20% less than in 2023 due to an 11% reduction in the cultivated area and a 10% drop in yields. Barley production stood at 7.1 Mt, a slight increase of 1.8% compared to the previous year, reflecting a 24% drop in winter barley offset by an equivalent increase in spring barley. As for rapeseed, production fell by 32% to 824,000 t. Oats were the only crop to experience growth, up 8.6% from the previous year. These figures are largely attributed to last winter's record rainfall and storms, which prevented the proper sowing and management of winter crops. This adverse ...