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Farmers face £600m hit as second-worst harvest on record intensifies pressure

December 13, 2024

Britain’s farmers are set to collectively lose around £600 million after poor growing conditions produced the second-worst wheat harvest on record.

New figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reveal that the UK’s wheat crop fell to 11.1 million tonnes in 2024, down from 14 million tonnes the previous year.

This is the lowest level recorded since 2020, when pandemic disruptions took a significant toll on harvest yields. Wet weather, which hampered sowing and stunted crop growth, was a primary factor, though the area of land devoted to wheat also shrank by 11 per cent.

Tom Lancaster from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said the dismal harvests represent a £600 million blow to British agriculture. “This year’s harvest was a shocker, and climate change is to blame,” he said. “The impacts are only going to worsen unless we reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.”

Other crops also suffered in the challenging conditions. According to Matt Daragh at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, “cereal and oilseed rape production in the UK was considerably challenged,” especially for winter-sown varieties. Across wheat, barley, oats, and oilseed rape, production contracted by 13 per cent this year to 20 million tonnes.

The poor harvest numbers land as the farming sector grapples with a series of policy changes and financial pressures. Farmers this week staged protests and blocked roads in an attempt to deter the Government from introducing a new inheritance tax regime that will limit long-standing reliefs for agricultural property. Under the planned changes, farmers will only pass on land tax-free if they survive for seven years after doing so, sparking fears that some may take drastic measures due to the stress and uncertainty.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers’ Union, warned MPs that the looming tax changes could push vulnerable farmers to consider taking their own lives. At a time when harvest shortfalls and weather extremes are already squeezing profits, the policy shift could further undermine the resilience of Britain’s farming industry.