The UK is on course for its driest spring in over a century, with farmers across Britain anxiously awaiting rainfall.
April 2025 was the sunniest on record, contributing to increasingly difficult conditions for the agricultural sector.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has expressed serious concerns to GB News during this crucial growing period.
Farmers nationwide are holding their breath as the country experiences what could be the driest spring in a century, coming immediately after what had been the "wettest 18 months on record."
The UK is on course for its driest spring in over a century, with farmers across Britain anxiously awaiting rainfall
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NFU Deputy President David Exwood highlighted the stark contrast in conditions facing farmers - which could result in yields being affected.
He told GB News: "After the wettest 18 months on record, we've now had one of the driest springs on record, and that's challenging because it means crops haven't grown. Development is slow, yields are going to be affected."
He noted that while the sunny weather has been enjoyed by Britons across the country, for farmers "that crucial spring period of planting and growth just hasn't given the results that it needed to."
Exwood expressed concern about the summer months ahead: "If it remains hot and dry, it will get very challenging."
He emphasised the need for greater resilience in farming systems, particularly regarding water availability for high-value crops. "We need water as part of a farming system. We need a resilient system, and we need the Government to do their part in building that."
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Exwood expressed concern about the summer months
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Farmers are increasingly nervous about the season ahead, according to Exwood.
He told the People's Channel: "They're looking at the rainfall, they're looking at river flows going. Are we going to have enough water for the summer? Are we going to get the yields we need at a critical time for the industry?"
While farmers are accustomed to weather uncertainty, Exwood noted that the combination of "uncertainty in politics, markets and the weather" is creating "some quite extraordinary challenges" for the agricultural sector.
While some rain is expected at the weekend, experts warn it is unlikely to provide lasting relief for the parched countryside, with many sites recording below 20 per cent of the average rainfall.
Farmers are increasingly nervous about the season ahead, according to Exwood
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According to the Met Office, the change in conditions will bring spells of rain, which could turn heavy at times, with a risk of strong winds in places over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The Environment Agency has warned that whilst there is not currently a drought in England, there is a "medium risk of one this summer".
It comes as British farmers have become increasingly frustrated after they accused Rachel Reeves of launching a tax raid on the agriculture sector.
The Chancellor imposed an inheritance tax change on agricultural estates worth more than £1million, with a levy at 20 per cent.
