Record heat and drought have cost Britain’s arable farmers more than £800m in lost production in 2025, with the harvest being one of the worst on record, according to analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Three of the five worst harvests since records began in 1984 have occurred since 2020, raising concerns about the financial viability of farming amid a fast-changing climate.
The production of five staple crops – wheat, oats, spring and winter barley, and oilseed rape – fell by 20% compared with the ten-year average. The harvest in England was the second-worst on record. This year saw the hottest and driest spring on record, followed by the hottest summer, with widespread drought conditions.
Tom Lancaster of the ECIU said: “This has been another torrid year for many farmers in the UK, with the pendulum swinging from too wet to too hot and dry. British farmers have once again been left counting the costs of climate change, with four-fifths now concerned about their ability to make a living due to the fast-changing climate.” He added that delays to green farming schemes are hindering adaptation.
David Lord, an arable farmer from Essex, said: “As a farmer, I’m used to taking the rough with the smooth, but recent years have seen near constant extreme rainfall, heat and drought. It’s getting to the point with climate change where I can’t take the risk of investing in a new crop of wheat or barley because the return on that investment is just so uncertain.”
The ECIU analysis used production data from England and current grain prices, extrapolated to the UK. Since 2020, lost revenue from extreme weather totals over £2bn. Grain prices are set globally, so low UK harvests do not lead to higher prices for farmers. The Met Office confirmed that the 2025 summer heat was made 70 times more likely by climate change.
Jamie Burrows, chair of the NFU combinable crops board, said: “This year’s harvest was extremely challenging. Funding is needed for climate adaptation and resilient crop varieties to safeguard our ability to feed the nation.”
