Britain's Farming Crisis: Rising Costs Threaten Food Security

The UK's farming industry is facing significant challenges due to rising input costs and low wheat prices. A farmer from Wales remembers the year 1986, when red diesel cost 10p a liter, fertiliser £90 a tonne, and electricity was 4p per unit. In contrast, current prices are much higher: around £1/liter for diesel, £500/t for fertiliser, and 25p/unit for electricity.

The price of wheat has failed to keep pace with these increases, sitting at around £190/t. The cost of equipment such as tractors (£250,000) and combine harvesters (£750,000) also makes it difficult for farmers to operate profitably. With yields from the 2026 harvest being appalling, the situation is dire.

The UK government's support for practical skills training should extend to agriculture through apprenticeships and agricultural college courses. Additionally, there needs to be a rethink on where solar arrays are sited, with a focus on industrial roofing or marginal land sites rather than productive farmland.