UK: Farmers say disastrous fruit and vegetable harvests should be a wake-up call

Published Jul 8, 2024

Tridge summary

Extreme weather conditions, including the 18 rainiest months on record, have led to a significant decline in fruit and vegetable production in the UK. The 2023-2024 campaign saw vegetable yield decrease by 4.9% to 2.2 million tons and fruit production volumes decrease by 12% to 585,000 tons. The wet weather has prevented planting, and the dry summer in 2023 further complicated production planning. Key crops like broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and carrots saw significant yield drops. Farmers are calling for a plan for food security as they face challenges due to the UK's less predictable climate and extreme weather conditions, and are also advocating for changes in supermarket practices and investment in the horticulture sector.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

British fruit and vegetable production declined due to extreme weather conditions. This is what The Guardian indicated: in the 2023-2024 campaign, the country had the 18 rainiest months since records began, which flooded the soil and left some fields under water. “The impact on crops has been disastrous,” the farmers said. According to data from the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the year-on-year yield of vegetables decreased by 4.9%, to 2.2 million tons in 2023, and fruit production volumes decreased by 12%, to 585,000 tons. Scientists explained that climate disruption caused by the burning of fossil fuels will likely bring more extreme weather to the UK, with more frequent floods and droughts. Meanwhile, farmers highlighted that they could not plant due to the wet weather, and this is confirmed by statistics. The area under vegetable cultivation decreased by 6.5%, to 101,000 hectares. A dry summer in early 2023 didn't help either, as those who couldn't irrigate ...

Source: Portaldelcampo