Farmers are facing 'hellish' heatwave conditions as they battle to harvest East Anglia's parched crops during the scorching summer.
Weeks of dry weather have sparked concerns that irrigation water supplies could run short, while falling yields could mean vegetables such as carrots and onions are smaller or less plentiful this year.
And the rising temperatures have sparked a race against time to gather fast-growing peas before they wilt in the heat.
Russell Corfield is commercial director of Aylsham Growers, a company which is more than half-way through harvesting 3,000 hectares of peas across the county.
It is a 24-hour operation using a fleet of five harvesters and an 18-strong harvest team, with another eight people involved in haulage.
But he said this year's yields are "way down", and the rapid ripening of the pods has created an optimum harvesting window of as little as 12 hours.
"It is hellish," he said. "The weather is horrendous. The vining peas are stressed and this hot spell means they are racing away and we are racing to keep up with them.
"With all this hot weather we have got a 12-hour harvesting window to get the crop. We have not left any fields yet - we have harvested everything to date but with another really hot spell coming on Monday and Tuesday it will add pressure to the harvesting operation.
"It is the complete opposite to last year - the yields are way down. There are usually eight or nine peas in a pod, this year it is maybe six or seven. And if there are six pods on a plant the plant has used its energy filling maybe four of them and the others have been aborted."
Andrew Francis, farms director at the 22,500-acre Elveden Estate near Thetford, said yields of vegetables such as onions, carrots and parsnips could drop by 15-20pc this year due to dwindling irrigation water supplies in reservoirs.
"I think we are probably looking at about six weeks of water left at current demand," he said.
"We are working really hard and we are having to compromise on our ideal irrigation schedule to keep the wheels turning, and to make sure the important crops get something, even if it is not the optimum amount for yield. I would think we will see yield penalties of 15-20pc as a result of those compromises.
"If it does not rain again we could be three to four weeks short of water, which would have a big impact on yields, especially the later vegetable crops like carrots and parsnips.
"We must not be scaring people, but with everything going on around the globe at the moment, this is not the year to be having a difficult year of food production in the UK."
Mr Francis said his farm's irrigation schedule has mostly managed to "secure the yield" for potatoes, although plant canopies are wilting which might affect the size of some.
More positively, he said yields of winter-sown barley were above average - but he expects wheat and particularly spring barley crops to be below average due to the lack of rain at key times in their growing season.
Charles Hesketh, regional policy manager for the National Farmers' Union in East Anglia, said the NFU is "monitoring the impacts of this prolonged spell of dry warm weather".
“Combines are already rolling in many areas of Norfolk for this year’s harvest but it’s too early to assess quality and yield," he said. "The lack of rain has severely hampered grass growth which could hit [animal] feed supplies for the winter, adding additional costs to livestock farming businesses at a time when costs are continuing to increase significantly.
"Sugar beet growers who have the infrastructure are looking to irrigate and we are now in the peak water demand period for field veg.
“This hot spell of weather looks set to continue and to help build resilience in the sector, we are continuing to talk to government and its agencies about developing long-term, collaborative plans for managing our water resources."
The tinder-dry conditions have also prompted warnings over combine harvester and field fires - a message which Mr Hesketh extended to anyone visiting the countryside.
“With such dry conditions underfoot, we are urging visitors to the countryside to take extra care to avoid starting a fire," he said. "A dropped match or smouldering barbecue is all that’s needed to start a serious blaze in our fields."
- Advice to farmers on how to minimise fire risks is available at https://bit.ly/3O8JKZr
Livestock precautions
Livestock farmers have been urged to take steps to ensure the health and welfare of their animals during the extreme heat forecast for early next week.
Advice from the government's Animal and Plant Health Agency includes providing fresh water, maximising ventilation and not moving animals in temperatures over 30 degrees.
Pig farms have been advised by industry bodies to service ventilation equipment in buildings, and outdoor units should check vital water bowsers and ensure wallows and shade are provided to avoid heat stress which can affect growth rates and litter sizes.
Norfolk dairy farmer Simon Dann said his 400 cows would be kept safe and cool inside their purpose-built sheds at North Tuddenham, near Dereham.
"These buildings are designed to stay 4-5 degrees cooler than it would be outside, and it does seem to work," he said. "The cows are far better in there than they would be outside on a brown, burnt-up field.
"There is a steep pitch on the roof, no skylights, and a wide vented ridge for maximum airflow. There is a big electric fan and a misting system to keep the animals cool."
Mr Dann said finding summer feed supplies was becoming a constant challenge, with grass not growing in the pastures and concerns about the farm's maize crops - about a third of which are on light land and are are wilting in the heat. It is prompting the farm to explore new strategies for the future.
"This seems to be the norm now," he said. "We have made a decision that next spring will be the last year we grow grass for silage, and instead we will be putting in lucerne which has deeper roots and can cope better with dry climates."
Malting barley optimism
While many crops are struggling in the heat, there have been some promising signs for Norfolk`s winter-sown malting barley.
Grain merchant Adams and Howling, based at Little Plumstead near Norwich, said harvest samples had shown low nitrogen and moisture levels, and "exceptionally high" hectolitre weight results - including a potential record with one sample testing at 74.6pc.
Joint managing director Matthew Adams said: "It’s a very early start for harvest 2022, but growers are reporting yields of malting barley better than 2021 crop. This year`s exceptionally high hectolitre weight results are evidence to improved yields being recorded.”
He added that demand for beer-making varieties such as Maris Otter is strong, with a "very competitive price over feed barley being offered to growers for harvest 2023”.
“Maris Otter’s ability again to withstand the long dry spring is shown by all the samples tested in the lab so far achieving spec and the high premium price," he added.
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