Gloucestershire farmers expecting poor harvest after heavy rainfall
Harvests of important crops could be down by nearly a fifth this year due to the unprecedented wet weather.
Harvests of crops including wheat, barley and oats may fall by more than 17% this year compared to 2023.
Analysis by The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) suggests food producers may have to import produce from abroad.
The wet winter has lead to many waterlogged and flooded fields across Gloucestershire. Meaning farmers have been late to plant new crops.
Gloucestershire farmer, Charles Day, said this is likely to lead to poor yields. Which is expected to have a massive financial impact on farmers.
But shoppers could also be affected with the price of bread, biscuits and beer expected to rise as a result.
Charles Day, said: "As we came into spring the field conditions were not suitable to go drilling so we've had to be really patient and wait. And the longer we leave it the worse potential the following crop has. So the yield potential of our crops has been greatly reduced.
"The financial impact could be huge. It all depends on how the weather plays out for the rest of the year until harvest."