Expect smaller broccoli if heatwave continues, farmers warn

Farmers in the driest parts of the UK are facing some of their worst ever harvests as the heatwave continues to hit crop and vegetable yields.

Broccoli growers are particularly struggling with a lack of water and bone-dry soils, with yields cut by more than 50%, quality affected and shoppers warned to expect smaller vegetables on the shelves.

One Herefordshire grower told the BBC there could be supply shortages if sustained rainfall does not come soon.

The British Growers Association said supplies of brassicas – including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage - were "tight" but better harvests in wetter parts of the UK should ensure vegetables still make it to the supermarkets.

The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), an independent research group, has warned that the UK could face its sixth or seventh worst harvest in 40 years.

Across the country, the situation is mixed. Some areas are coping better, but farmers in regions with very little rainfall and low river levels are struggling the most. In these places, the soil is dry and light, which means it cannot hold water well. As a result, crop yields are falling sharply.

Ben Andrews, who runs an organic farm near Leominster in Herefordshire, said people shopping in supermarkets may need to change what they expect from vegetables. For example, broccoli and other produce might look smaller or a bit different from usual.

He also explained that the problem isn’t just in the UK. The hot weather has made it difficult to grow brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, in other countries as well. That means importing these crops is also becoming harder.

“You might not see completely empty shelves,” Andrews said, “but shoppers will probably notice fewer choices, smaller vegetables, and less availability overall. If these weather conditions continue, the chance of real shortages cannot be ruled out.”

The warning highlights how extreme weather is now affecting not only farmers’ harvests but also the food that reaches supermarket shelves.

The British Growers Association (BGA) has warned that this summer has brought yet another round of difficult weather conditions for farmers. While some regions are experiencing serious shortfalls, the impact is being eased by growers in cooler, wetter areas who have been able to produce more crops to balance the supply.

Jack Ward, chief executive of the BGA, explained that vegetables such as cabbages, cauliflowers, and other brassicas are in limited supply in certain areas. Meanwhile, root crops including onions and carrots are still being sustained, largely thanks to irrigation systems. However, he stressed that the lack of consistent rainfall is creating major concerns about water availability. “We are confident that crops will be harvested this season,” Ward said, “but the last three months have underlined just how unpredictable our food supply has become due to extreme weather.”

Martin Williams, an arable farmer and chairman of the NFU branch in Herefordshire, painted an equally troubling picture. His cereal yield has fallen by half, only a third of the usual potato crop is expected, and grass for animal feed has dropped by a staggering 70%. He described conditions as “absolutely, devastatingly dry,” noting that the lack of rain has left him questioning the future of his farming practices.

Looking ahead, Williams is considering whether it is still sensible to grow high-risk cereal crops. Farming, he admitted, will always involve uncertainty, but he is now weighing up how to reduce risks and make his work more sustainable. “If avoiding certain crops helps me manage those risks,” he said, “then that is an option I may need to seriously explore.”

'Hugely varied' harvest

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) said the extremes of weather conditions this year had been "unprecedented", with the overall harvest picture currently "hugely varied".

Jamie Burrows, chairman of the NFU's crops board, said that farmers in areas that had seen rainfall were actually seeing "better-than-expected" yields, while others are "facing significant drops which will have substantial financial implications on their businesses".

Tom Lancaster, the ECIU's head of land, food and farming, said successive years of extreme weather, both wet and dry, were taking its toll on farmers.

He told "I don't think we should look at this year just in isolation. This is part of a pattern, coming off the back of the second worst harvest last year and the worst harvest on record in 2020.

"It's that pattern we need to be concerned about because, as these impacts on agriculture and on farmers start to stack up, farmers will just effectively stop farming."