Next 10 days crucial for farmers 'praying' for rain

Farmer George Brown says he has been praying for rain during the sunniest April on record

A twofold blow of record sunshine and low rainfall has left crops in "survival mode" and struggling to grow, a farmer has warned.

The Met Office previously confirmed April 2025 saw the most sunshine in the UK since records began 115 years ago - with 47% more hours of sunshine than the long-term average.

The recent weather follows England's wettest 18-month period between October 2022 and March 2024, which caused damage to the soil, according the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Arable farmer Nigel Friend raises animals and grows crops at Cranborne Chase in Dorset, he said unless the weather improved in the next ten days, there could be grain shortages.

The Met Office said April saw the most sunshine since records began 115 years ago

Mr Friend told BBC Radio Solent presenter Steve Harris he had been farming all his life and this year, farmers needed "significant amounts of rainfall".

"Crops are suffering, the increased heat is causing problems for animals as well, with things like fly strike on sheep being very early this year and obviously we're preserving our foraged stocks for the winter ahead, because we don't have any grass," he explained.

Mr Friend said farmers across the UK had "suffered two horrendously wet years", which had damaged the soil, but after the recent dry weather he was now finding cracks on his farm at least 10in (25.4cm) deep.

Farmer Nigel Friend has warned the next 10 days will be crucial for crops

George Brown, who grows porridge oats, spring barley and white clover on Priors Farm in Peasemore near Newbury, shares Mr Friend's concerns.

He said: "You've got to remind yourself you've been very lucky to have the sun at your back, but really I've been praying for rain for the last six weeks.

"We wanted some rain to get the crops growing out of the ground, but it just hasn't turned up."

Elsewhere in Basingstoke, Hampshire, Ian Constable said he had been forced to adapt the way his farm was feeding its animals.

Mr Constable, who Street Croft Farm in Herriard, explained: "Obviously no rain, so no grass growth.

"We've got a few hundred lambs and ewes running around and there's not a lot for them to eat.

"All the grass just hasn't taken off this year, which means we're supplementary feeding everything, buying in a lot of feed to keep them fed and healthy."

Alan Hutton, chair of Hampshire's National Farmers' Union, added: "Farming is an extraordinarily risky occupation.

"I want to reassure the public there is not going to be a food shortage this year, but please if you're coming to the countryside, treat it with respect.

"It is going to be very, very dry this summer, so please don't go smoking and throwing cigarettes out the window and that sort of thing – it is your food supply after all."

'Disastrous crop'

Mr Friend is expecting dry weather for another 10 weeks based on long-range forecasting, but said the next 10 days would be "crucial" for farmers.

"Normally by now you would expect wheat to be knee high, at the moment it's halfway between your ankle and your knee.

"The weather over the next 10 days will make the difference between us having reasonable crop to harvest and a disastrous crop due to the lack of moisture."

Mr Friend's concerns come after the Environment Agency warned there was a "medium risk" of a summer drought.

The Met Office told BBC Weather the UK had experienced an average rainfall accumulation of 80mm so far this spring, compared to an average of 229mm, making it the driest spring on record.