Wet weather set to relieve farmers’ drought fears

UK farmers can expect relief from ongoing drought concerns as wetter weather is forecast from mid-April, providing a timely boost to the agricultural sector.

Following several weeks of dry conditions that have left many parts of the country parched, the forecasted rain promises to ease the pressure on crops, livestock, and water supplies.

According to the UK Met Office, the weather will turn wetter and cooler from mid-April, with a series of rainstorms expected to move across the country.

See also: How to plan for water security and drought resilience

From Friday 11 April, a period of unsettled weather is forecast, with Atlantic frontal systems from the west or showers from the south making inroads across the country.

“This is expected to herald a wetter period through the middle of April with showers or longer spells of rain at times, which could be heavy and thundery in places,” the Met Office says.

Temperatures are likely to return closer to normal for the season, it adds.

The rain is expected to replenish depleted soil moisture levels, which are vital for the growth of crops, especially for spring planting.

Towards the end of April and into early May, a return to more settled weather is forecast, with temperatures expected to be above average overall. Although showers or longer spells of rain in places is possible during the start of this period.

‘Driest farm’

Essex arable farmer Guy Smith, who manages 520ha in St Osyth – officially the driest farm in the UK – has been closely monitoring the weather patterns.

He said the farm received 42mm of rainfall in January and 34mm in February, but only 2mm in March and nothing so far in April.

“All the crops we’ve planted on heavy land are waiting for rain, and our main concern is whether the fertiliser we’ve applied is actually reaching the plant roots, where it’s needed most,” he told Farmers Weekly.

But with more unsettled weather in the forecast for the coming weeks, Mr Smith said he was “not panicking yet”.

“As my dad used to say, ‘It’s June that makes or breaks the farm,’” he added.

Moisture below surface

Cambridgeshire farmer Tom Martin, who runs a mixed sheep and arable farm in Haddon, near Peterborough, said his winter crops were faring well on clay soils and the spring barley was up and almost racing away.

“When you scratch beneath the surface, there is moisture underneath,” he said. “I’m not even considering using the word ‘drought’ yet, but many do after Easter!”

But Mr Martin said he plans to hold off applying fertiliser until there is a break in the weather later this month.

Wales update

Wyn Jones, who runs a beef and sheep upland farm near Aberystwyth, west Wales, said the combination of cold, windy nights and dry days was hampering growth and availability of grass.

“In west Wales, we have ditches with no water and in some fields we have to carry a bit of water,” he said, adding that “wall-to-wall dry weather is not what we want at this time of year”.

Mr Jones said access to fertiliser was also proving difficult as there is big demand for it from farmers in England who have had to change their cropping plans due to the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive to new applicants.

“I’m struggling to get a second batch of fertiliser. But if I had some, I don’t think the conditions would be good enough to apply it yet,” he said.

“I don’t think the ground will absorb it. I think a lot of it would just go up into the atmosphere.”