Farmers are warning the next 10 days are crucial to prevent food shortages later in the year as extreme hot weather has baked Britain dry and seriously affected crops. The UK has had just 3 per cent of its typical July rainfall in 2026, with the south and east of England receiving no rain at all this month.
Farmers urge flexibility on water abstraction
A National Farmers Union (NFU) spokesperson said: “Some areas haven’t harvested yet so what happens over the next week to 10 days could have an impact. We’re asking the Environment Agency to be flexible when it comes to abstraction.”
Dry weather means only 13 per cent of Britain’s rivers are at expected levels. In East Anglia, water levels are so low farmers have had to stop taking water from rivers to grow crops.
Difficult harvest after extreme weather
NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins said: “Parts of the country, particularly in the east and south, have seen exceptionally low rainfall, creating real challenges for farm businesses. For many arable farmers, this could be another difficult and expensive harvest after extreme weather in both 2024 and 2025 which saw both drought and flood.”
The National Drought Group says ‘prolonged dry weather’, the stage before drought, has been declared in eight regions: East Anglia, West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire & London, Wessex, Thames, Solent & the South Downs.
Hosepipe ban and fire risk
A hosepipe ban will come into effect for millions of Brits later this week, with customers supplied by Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water and South West Water told to curb water usage, which surges by 30 per cent on hot days.
The extreme weather also means combine harvesters are at greater risk of catching fire during harvest season, potentially further exacerbating food shortages as crops burn. Fires have scorched the UK this summer as it experienced three heatwaves, with a high of 37C recorded in Norfolk in late June.
Forecast for August
Weather maps show temperatures are set to rise again next week, with highs of up to 37C. The Met Office has issued its long range weather forecast for August, indicating that temperatures during 4-18 August “will very likely remain above normal, with potential for further hot spells, particularly in the south.”
The government has recorded 53 wildfires at Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), including the long-running moorland blaze at Dovestone and Tintwistle in the Peak District.
Rain forecast but flash drought fears
Rain is forecast this weekend, but it is only expected to hit the north west of England and Scotland, which have been the wettest parts of the country this summer. The north west has only had 9 per cent of its expected precipitation. It is not expected to rain this weekend in the driest parts of the UK, fuelling fears of ‘flash drought’, where drought rapidly develops and could spread across the country. Flash drought happened in 2022, when crops failed and food prices rose subsequently.
