Why hotter summers are making British potatoes smaller
British potato farmers are reporting significantly lower yields and smaller crop sizes due to prolonged dry spells and record-breaking summer temperatures. Growers are warning that the economic strain of climate change is making the industry increasingly unsustainable, potentially leading to a decline in domestic potato production.
Why it matters
Climate-driven agricultural instability threatens food security and the economic viability of farming, highlighting the urgent need for government support and adaptation strategies.
Image caption, Tim Rooke, farms near Helmsley in North Yorkshire, says growers may leave the potato industry because of the changing climate
As the roller shutter door opens to reveal one of Tim Rooke's potato stores, the harvest looks impressive. Seven hundred tonnes are kept in this building alone, ready to be turned into crisps.
Yet North Yorkshire farmer Rooke is far from happy. He plucks a large potato from the pile and in his other hand, places two much smaller ones.
"We've probably lost two tonnes on every fifty tonnes in here, potatoes that have just fallen through the graders because they are far too small."
The prolonged dry spell this summer meant his crop was beginning to die. He was forced to harvest early, but that meant his potatoes hadn't grown to the size his customers want.
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