UK Faces Second-Worst Harvest on Record Amid Climate Change

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https://www.ecowatch.com/uk-harvest-climate-change-agriculture-2024.html

Wheat before harvest in Hampshire, England on Aug. 3, 2013. Neil Howard / Flickr

In England, wet weather brought on by climate change has led to the second-worst harvest on record, affecting everything from wine grapes to wheat.

As The Guardian reported, a longer stretch of cold, wet weather from fall to early summer has led to wine grape harvests that are down by 33% to 75%, depending on the region. According to World Weather Attribution, rain in the UK from late 2023 into early 2024 was 20% more intense because of climate change.

For 2024, the UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) found that the wheat harvest in England was around 10 million metric tons, which was down 22% compared to the 2023 harvest. The decline reflects both a decrease in the wheat yield and the area that was used for wheat farming.

Other major crops also saw declines, with a decrease of 26% in barley harvested in the winter (although the spring harvest of barley saw a 41% increase). Oilseed rape production declined significantly, yielding 687,000 metric tons in 2024, a 33% decline compared to 2023. 

https://www.ecowatch.com/uk-harvest-climate-change-agriculture-2024.html

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