Farmers have warned that severe heat and drought could lead to onion shortages in supermarkets this Christmas unless retailers relax their requirements for the size of the vegetables.
Suffolk farmer Andrew Long has been forced to harvest his onion crop around three weeks earlier than usual after prolonged hot and dry conditions left the plants struggling to grow.
Smaller crops and lower yields
Supermarkets typically require onions to measure between 60mm and 80mm (2.4in to 3.1in) in diameter. But Long said much of his crop was only reaching between 40mm and 60mm (1.6in to 2.4in).
He estimates his yield is around 40% lower than usual, with the persistent heat putting the crop under significant stress.
Long, who farms in Fornham St Martin near Bury St Edmunds, said onions and potatoes were particularly vulnerable to prolonged periods of hot weather.
"If this [weather] is going to continue, I think our food security is going to be a very, very important issue," he told the BBC.
Impact on shoppers and other crops
The smaller crop could have an impact on shoppers, with larger onions potentially becoming more expensive and harder to find. Customers may also have to buy several smaller onions to get the same amount of produce as a larger one.
Elsewhere in Suffolk, potato farmer William Wrinch said the quality of his crop had also been affected by the weather, with considerable variation across his fields.
Wrinch, whose family has farmed on the Shotley Peninsula since the 1840s, is marking the 50th year of harvesting potatoes. While he said this was not the worst season he had experienced, the quality of this year's crop has been inconsistent.
Yields have been better than he expected earlier in the summer, but the quality remains variable. He said supermarkets may need to reconsider their usual specifications so farmers are able to sell more of what they grow.
Supermarkets are going to have to move the goalposts, Wrinch said.
Retailers' response and future outlook
The concerns come as farmers across the UK continue to deal with increasingly challenging weather conditions, with prolonged heat and drought capable of affecting both the size and quality of crops.
The British Retail Consortium said climate change was continuing to create challenges for retailers and its suppliers. Its director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie, said extreme weather such as drought could reduce crop yields and put upward pressure on food prices.
However, he said retailers had experience in dealing with supply disruptions and would take steps to minimise any impact on customers. These could include sourcing produce from alternative suppliers and making more unusually sized vegetables available to shoppers.
For farmers, however, the issue highlights a growing tension between supermarket specifications and the reality of producing food during extreme weather.
With Christmas still several months away, the extent of any onion shortage remains uncertain. But growers warn that unless retailers are prepared to accept smaller vegetables, shoppers could face fewer large onions and higher prices later in the year.
