Top of the crops: record heatwaves help deliver bumper UK berry harvest
Despite a summer of heatwaves and drought, UK berry farmers have reported a bumper harvest due to investments in climate-resilient irrigation. The yield is 6% higher than the previous year, though some late-season crops face challenges.
Why it matters
It demonstrates how agricultural innovation and technology can help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on food production.
Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries have done particularly well this year. Photograph: Lia Toby/PA Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries have done particularly well this year. Photograph: Lia Toby/PA Farming Top of the crops: record heatwaves help deliver bumper UK berry harvest Investment in climate-resilient irrigation enables this year’s haul to rise 6% on 2025’s already bigger-than-usual yield
Prefer the Guardian on Google British farmers have faced a sweltering summer tested by heatwaves, wildfires and water shortages – but a bumper berry harvest could prove a rare bright spot.
With two-thirds of the harvest now picked, this year’s haul is 6% up on last year’s already unusually large crop, according to British Berry Growers (BBG). Volumes of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries picked have been particularly strong, the trade body said.
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