Drought and heat stress impact UK onion and oilseed rape yields

Extreme heat and drought conditions are significantly impacting British agriculture, specifically affecting onion and oilseed rape production.

In East Anglia, where approximately 90% of the British onion crop is grown, rainfall in July was 96% below average. The British Onion Producers’ Association (BOPA) warns that onion yields could drop by 25% due to water shortages and heat stress. These conditions have led to smaller bulb sizes, reduced marketable yields, and increased risks of diseases such as base rot. The industry is facing what BOPA chairman Ben Collins described as the “most challenging season ever encountered.”

Similarly, drought-hit growers of oilseed rape are facing challenges with soil moisture levels. Experts from Limagrain UK Field Seeds advise growers to prioritize seedbed conditions over specific calendar dates for drilling. While hot, dry weather has depleted moisture, experts suggest that delaying drilling until sufficient rain restores moisture levels can protect establishment and maintain yield potential, noting that later-sown crops can sometimes outperform earlier ones if conditions are optimal.