UK Farmers Warn of Food Shortages within Months Amid Worst Harvest Since 1984

Britain's farmers are facing an immediate crisis in cash flow and confidence due to the worst harvest since 1984, according to Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU).

The poor harvest has left many farmers without the funds needed to plant next year's crops or replace livestock. High fertiliser prices, currently at £460 per tonne, are partly to blame due to supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in Iran.

Autumn is normally a time for planting wheat and barley, but farmers are under pressure from low grain prices and high costs of production.

The NFU and 12 other agricultural groups have called on the government to provide interest-free loans linked to losses caused by drought, which would give farm businesses the capital to produce next year's food.