Record Heatwaves Yield Bumper UK Berry Harvest

A series of five unprecedented heatwaves across Britain this summer has driven rapid growth in berry crops cultivated mainly under polytunnels with drip-irrigation. British Berry Growers (BBG) reports that two-thirds of the season’s berries have been harvested and the total haul is about 6 % larger than the already high-yielding previous year. Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries have shown especially strong volumes, while blackcurrant output is projected to fall roughly 10 % because of plant stress.

The Guardian

The same hot, dry conditions have strained other sectors of UK agriculture. Drought and wildfires have reduced wheat yields by 13 % below the five-year average, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Spring barley is expected to be about a quarter below its five-year average, marking the lowest level since records began in 1999. In 2024, analysts warned that up to two-fifths of strawberry and raspberry growers could exit the market by the end of 2026; consecutive strong summers have temporarily eased that outlook, but the broader climate trend remains challenging.

The Guardian

• Nick Marston – Chair, British Berry Growers; highlights growers’ investment in water-security infrastructure.

The Guardian

• Anthony Hopkins – Director of Cereals and Oilseeds, AHDB; warns of mounting financial pressure on arable farms.

The Guardian

• Harvested: ~66 % of the berry crop, 6 % up on last year (BBG).

The Guardian

• Blackcurrant: projected 10 % decline (BBG).

The Guardian

• Wheat: 13 % below five-year average (AHDB).

The Guardian

• Spring barley: about 25 % below five-year average, lowest since 1999 (AHDB).

The Guardian

• Water infrastructure: roughly 40 % of berry producers lack on-farm reservoirs or licensed boreholes, leaving them dependent on mains water or river abstraction licences (BBG).

The Guardian

Marston notes that growers have collectively invested millions of pounds in secure water supplies, including winter storage reservoirs and computer-controlled drip systems, to improve resilience. He stresses that while the hot weather may reduce fruit size as berries ripen sooner, the industry entered the season with a modest start, keeping produce within supermarket specifications. Marston also welcomes recent government measures that have relaxed planning restrictions for on-farm reservoirs, but calls for reforms to river-abstraction licensing to allow greater winter water capture. Hopkins adds that the cumulative effect of successive poor harvests is placing “immense financial pressure” on many arable businesses, underscoring the need for broader adaptation support.

The Guardian