The UK is facing a vegetable shortage as drought and extreme heat have devastated crops, prompting supermarkets and restaurants to import produce from Spain at the height of the domestic growing season. Wholesale prices have surged, with tomatoes up over 60%, iceberg lettuce up 90%, and potatoes up more than 40%, according to industry reports.
Growers struggle as water runs low
Even farms equipped with irrigation systems and reservoirs are reporting dwindling water supplies. Broccoli yields have halved, forcing growers to combine two heads to meet pack weights. David Simmons of Riviera Produce in Cornwall, also a board member of the Brassica Growers' Association, said, "The UK is very short [of broccoli] at the moment, so it's being imported from Spain and Holland to try to cover the orders. Cauliflowers could go short in the next couple of weeks, we can see that being the next issue."
The English pea harvest is down by a third, according to Stephen Francis from Fen Peas, a group of 60 Lincolnshire farmers. Scottish growers, who produce about a fifth of UK peas, are expected to have an average harvest. Growers are now exploring heat-resistant varieties from southern Europe and seeking investment in water storage infrastructure.
Supermarkets warn of food security threat
More than 100 organisations, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and Aldi, have written to the government, urging action on food security. They cite wildfires and extreme weather as threats to Britain's food supply and call for reducing reliance on imports. The letter follows a year of exceptional heat and dryness that has led to the earliest UK cereals harvest in at least 20 years, per the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Across Europe, crops from wheat to olives are suffering from drought and fires. Tim O'Malley, chair of wholesaler Nationwide Produce, said, "It is worse than the public realise. We are running out of water." He noted that field crops like leafy greens, broccoli, and iceberg lettuce are worst hit, and last week his company returned to Spain for supplies, an unusual move for this time of year.
Carrot and potato crops at risk
Rodger Hobson, a carrot grower in Yorkshire, described this year as the "worst we've ever known." He said, "It's heartbreaking and wallet-breaking," adding that crops are "wilting on their feet." Hobson produces about 30,000 tonnes annually, roughly 4% of the UK crop. Britain grows 97% of its carrots, but only in regions with sandy soils. Hobson explained, "Any [temperature] over 25C and it goes into shutdown, anything over 30C and it pretty much starts to die. All we can do is keep pouring water on."
The main carrot crop, typically harvested from September, will suffer unless significant rain falls soon. This could lead to domestic carrots running out months early, necessitating imports. Potato growers also face challenges, with Scott Walker, chief executive of GB Potatoes, saying, "We are not expecting as much as we have had in recent years. Given Europe is having the same heatwave, that will also have an impact on the amount of crop there." Consumers may see more variation in potato sizes this autumn.
Call for government support
Growers are urging the government to help fund reservoirs to store winter and spring rain for summer irrigation. Many farmers operate on tight margins and struggle with the cost and planning delays of building water storage. The situation underscores the urgent need for climate adaptation in UK agriculture.
