Why hotter summers are making British potatoes smaller
Summary
Hotter and drier summers in the UK are causing potato crops to be smaller and fewer in number. Farmers are struggling because potatoes need a lot of water and cool temperatures to grow well, but the recent weather has been too hot and dry.Key Facts
- British potato farmers have seen smaller potatoes and lower crop yields due to hot, dry weather.
- Potatoes need about 200mm of water typically; this year they received only around 35mm.
- Potatoes do not grow bigger when temperatures go above 28°C, but this summer had about 40 days over that temperature.
- Some farmers had to harvest early, which meant potatoes were smaller than customers want.
- Growing potatoes is costly, and repeated bad harvests are making farmers consider quitting.
- Government announced a £65 million support package in response to drought and dry weather.
- A new taskforce is being formed to address risks from climate change affecting farming.
- Farmers want easier rules to build water storage systems to capture winter rain for summer use.
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