New data released by Defra has confirmed the poor state of the UK’s harvest this year, with the third-lowest total production for wheat, barley, and oilseed rape since modern records began in 1984.
The poor harvest follows record-breaking rain last winter that disrupted farmers’ cropping plans, and prevented them from establishing and managing winter crops like wheat and winter barley.
All main cereal crops and oilseed rape saw reductions in yield in 2024 compared to 2023, except for oats which saw an 8.6% increase.
Wheat harvest estimates were down 20% compared to 2023 at 11.1 million tonnes, and oilseed rape declined by 32% to 824 thousand tonnes in 2024.
The barley harvest was 7.1 million tonnes, an increase of 1.8% which comprises a 24% decrease in winter barley production offset by a 24% increase in spring barley.
Earlier this week, Defra published its 2024 UK Food Security Report warning that climate change posed a “pressing risk” to UK food security, as it would drive volatility and put resilience at risk in the long term.
“These new figures confirm the government’s warnings about food security,” said Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. “The record-breaking rainfall and storms that we saw last winter had a devastating impact on farming across the whole of the UK, and come as part of a growing list of the climate impacts on our food system that we have seen in recent years.
“To avoid the sort of impacts that we have seen on this year’s harvest, we will need to ensure farmers are better supported to adapt and build resilience, including through more and better targeted green farming support.”
The data for the UK follows similar data released for England in October, which confirmed 2024 as England’s second-worst harvest on record after 2020.
No comments yet