Britain could become a net importer of wheat this year for the first time in a decade, according to the NFU.
Twelve months of record-breaking wet weather have contributed to a dramatic downturn in wheat yields – down by just over 14 per cent.
NFU president Peter Kendall has said that farmers planted 75 per cent of their planned wheat crop this year, which will mean a 25 per cent drop on Britain’s wheat crop this summer.
He said: “If we got three-quarters of the area planted, and the same yield as last year, we could be looking at a crop of only 11mt of wheat when we actually need 14.5mt for our own domestic use.”
The NFU predicts the UK will become a net importer of wheat for the crop year July 2013 to July 2014.