Drought pushes England’s grain harvest to lowest level since 1984

England’s combined production of major grains and rapeseed fell to 16.03 mln tons in 2026, the lowest level since the statistical series began in 1984. The previous low was 16.16 mln tons in 2020. Prolonged drought and hot weather during spring and summer weighed heavily on crop performance.

Barley was among the hardest-hit crops, with production falling by 11% to 3.7 mln tons, the lowest level since 2012. Spring barley output dropped by 23%, while winter barley production increased slightly.

Oat production declined by 29% to 527 thsd tons, the lowest level in 14 years. The planted area fell by 21%, while average yield decreased by 11% to 4.1 t/ha.

Wheat production, by contrast, increased by 0.8% to 10.8 mln tons. However, average yield reached only 7.2 t/ha, compared with a ten-year average of around 7.9 t/ha, highlighting the negative impact of weather conditions even on the country’s main grain crop.

Rapeseed was the main exception to the overall trend, with production rising by around 43% to nearly 1 mln tons due to a 36% increase in planted area and improved yields. Even so, England’s overall grain and rapeseed harvest remains one of the weakest in recent decades.

Tags: weather conditions, barley, wheat, drought, England, oats