The BBC’s Countryfile programme has undertaken research which aims to count the cost of this year’s cool, damp summer on rural businesses, including farming, insurance and tourism based businesses.

According to the BBC, the cost of the wettest spring and second wettest summer on record to rural businesses has been “at least £1 billion” in reduced yields and visitor numbers and lost trade, after many planned summer events were cancelled due to adverse weather. These include the Great Yorkshire Show, England’s largest agricultural show, which was cancelled due to weather concerns for the first time in its 175 year history in July.       

Figures released by touristic organisations including the National Trust and English Nature back up the Countryfile research, showing the number of visitors to countryside attractions dropped significantly this year.

The BBC research also details the hardships faced by farmers. Unseasonal and inclement weather has caused problems throughout the year, with many crops down on the five year average, and input costs rising further still for hard pressed livestock farmers who, in some cases, have fed animals silage this summer, as the persistent rain rendered pasturelands useless.   

The research concludes that losses to UK agriculture alone this year amount to almost £600 million. The Countryfile researchers also point out that part of the cost could be passed on to consumers in the form of rising food prices; although food prices remained steady last month, severe droughts in several key cereal producing areas around the world could yet translate into rising prices.

The Countryfile report is available to watch here

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