The United Kingdom has gotten a lot of sunshine recently, and that, combined with a lack of rain, is making it difficult for farmers to produce food.
What's happening?
According to Express, "April was the sunniest on record and the third-warmest … with some areas in the Midlands and North of England seeing less than a fifth of the usual rainfall and large parts of the South seeing less than half."
March was also the sunniest on record, and rainfall was low.
Nature Friendly Farming Network's Head of Policy, Jenna Hegarty, said March was the driest on record in 60 years in England and Wales.
The record spells pose challenges to farmers because they are dealing with changing weather patterns, which also make it easier for pests and diseases to spread. These extreme weather conditions threaten crops and make it difficult for farmers to plan long-term.
Much of the U.K.'s fruit and vegetables are also imported, often from countries with more volatile weather patterns.
Why is this concerning?
"The extreme weather patterns we have experienced over the past few years are impacting our ability to feed the nation," National Farmers Union water resources specialist Mark Betson said.
If the extreme weather continues, shoppers may face higher prices at the grocery store and empty shelves.
What's happening in the U.K. isn't isolated. In Japan, heat has caused rice shortages, which forced the country to import more than 44,000 tons of rice, mainly from the U.S.
Heavy rain and floods affected the quality and quantity of potato crops in Spain and Portugal.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 😭 According to the World Economic Forum, dry weather in the Mediterranean caused a poor crop of olives, which caused olive oil prices to soar. Cocoa prices were at an all-time high in February 2024 because of dry weather in West Africa as well.
What's being done about threatened crops?
"To protect food production and avoid shoppers facing empty supermarket shelves and soaring prices, we urgently need to support the growth of U.K. horticulture in ways that work hand in hand with nature and boost farm resilience in a changing climate," Hegarty said.
You can also shop smarter at the grocery store to save money. The average household wastes $750 of food every year, so if you cut back just 15%, you can save $110.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
