Defra figures have confirmed that the UK will become a net importer of wheat in 2012/13. The year’s abysmal weather; heavy rainfall, lack of sunlight, a mild winter and cool summer, impacted heavily on production throughout the country. The results of surveys and trials show yields have been variable, disease pressures high and wheat harvested has been of poor quality.

Official data estimates wheat imports in 2012/13 to total 2.046m tonnes. This year, imports are 66 percent higher than they were the previous year (0.908m tonnes). Increased imports, exacerbated by the impact of adverse weather on production, will see the UK becoming a net importer of wheat for the first time in over a decade.

The quality of UK wheat was the lowest since 1977 and yields this year were at their lowest since the early 1990s.

However, although the problematic weather compounded the situation in the UK, other factors also contributed to the country becoming a net importer, including record shipments of wheat to Spain in late summer to early autumn. Spain has been hit by a severe drought, which led to widespread forest fires and impacted heavily on production of a range of crops.

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