15 June 2011

A National Farmers’ Union survey has revealed a serious downturn in wheat and Oilseed rape yields due to the drought currently affecting parts of the UK. image expired

The survey of NFU members, carried out over the past two months, reveals winter oilseed rape yields are expected to be down 9% on their five-year average. However, the NFU said it remains optimistic about long-term performance as plantings were higher.

Wheat yields are also predicted to be down on their average output to around 6.5 tonnes per hectare. The yield is expected to be 14 per cent lower than average this year; the lowest in over 20 years.

Though the NFU said the downturn was unlikely to impact retail prices, the drought has already had a knock on effect for farmers, who are facing a price hike in livestock feed.

Clare Rowntree, an NFU economist, said, “In areas affected by water shortages, there will be some farmers who have to buy in more feed in order to make sure that their animals have enough to eat if their fodder crops also suffer from poor yields.”

For farmers affected by this year’s drought in France the situation has become desperate. French livestock farmers in drought stricken regions are having difficulty securing enough stock to feed their animals over winter; their stock has been down since 2009 when dry spells led to shortages.

The French agricultural union FNSEA last week called on the army to help transport straw to farmers in affected regions.