England has suffered its second worst harvest on record after a year of heatwaves and drought, according to expert analysis of government figures.

4 comments

1. Farmers reaped their crops during a hot, dry summer following the driest spring in more than 100 years, which has hit yields across the country.

   And Defra’s provisional national estimates, published this week, suggest the 2025 harvest was much worse than previously predicted, with yields tumbling for most of the main cereal crops compared to last year.

   The figures show average wheat yields across the country dropped by 3.6pc to 7.0t/ha – although the total estimated wheat harvest of 10.6m tonnes was actually up 4.9pc year-on-year, largely due to an 8.8pc increase in area planted.

   For barley, another key East Anglian crop, estimated national production fell by 14pc to 4.2m tonnes, driven by a 23pc fall in spring barley and a 2.2pc decline in winter barley production.

2. The three worst harvests on record all since 2020. Yikes.

3. This may be a good year for purchasers of soybeans. I hear that one major producer has a lot to sell.

   Not that soy is a replacement for wheat or barley (and afaik it cannot be fermented into Britain’s favorite fermented products) but it could be inexpensive food.

4. Cornwall would beg to differ!

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