The driest spring on record is still causing problems for UK growers, despite rains easing immediate pressures over the past two weeks. The latest Coceral analysis puts the EU grain forecast 10 million tonnes lower that its March estimate.

UK grains suffered most in the 3 month Coceral forecast, with the reduced yield caused by drought in grain-growing Eastern regions allowing Spain to creep ahead in the European grain growing table. 

The downgrade saw the UK’s estimated grain harvest slashed to around 19 million tonnes, a drop of around 13.2%. The crop forecast estimates a 15% drop for the barley yield and 10% for wheat; if that is the case, the UK will fall behind Spain, where rains have raised hopes for an increase 1.5 million tonnes to the grain crop, bringing the total yield to 20.6m tonnes.

Although rain has fallen in the UK in the past few weeks, replenishing rivers and reservoirs, several areas still face water restrictions. Along with forecasts predicting a dry summer, this has caused great concern for growers and horticulturists.

Kendall: prioritise farmers in face of water restrictions

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, NFU president Peter Kendall demanded more transparency and preferential treatment for famers in the face of water shortages. Kendall said, “Let’s make sure we make food production a priority. That we talk to farmers in advance [and] we don’t just turn the taps right off. That we allow farmers to eke out supplies.”

However, some UK producers are relieved, as the situation could have been much worse for the country, usually the Union's third- biggest wheat producer, which at one pint was expected to face up to 50 per cent losses. Robert Law, an arable farmer from Hertfordshire, said, "We've had more rain in a month than we did in the whole five months before that. The rain has averted a disaster."

The UK uses just three per cent of all water abstracted for its agriculture, compared to a 33 per cent European average. Last month, DEFRA published its water use in agriculture and horticulture survey, which shows 70 million cubic metres of water were used for irrigation.