UK farms turn to Spain for vegetables as heatwave slashes yields

Severe drought and record heat are crippling UK vegetable production, forcing growers and retailers to import lettuce, broccoli and other crops from Spain and the Netherlands.

A prolonged spell of drought and extreme heat has devastated UK vegetable farms, pushing wholesale prices up dramatically—tomatoes over 60%, iceberg lettuce nearly 90% and potatoes more than 40%. Producers such as David Simmons of Riviera Produce report halved broccoli yields and the need to combine heads to meet packaging weights, while Stephen Francis of Fen Peas notes a one-third drop in English pea harvests. Growers are experimenting with heat-tolerant varieties but lack sufficient water storage, a problem highlighted by Tim O’Malley of Nationwide Produce and carrot farmer Rodger Hobson.

In response, the country’s largest supermarkets, including Tesco and Sainsbury’s, have written to Andy Burnham urging the government to prioritize food-system resilience. The situation mirrors broader European crop failures caused by the same heatwave, raising concerns about future supply shortages and the need for investment in irrigation infrastructure.