'If rain doesn't come soon my crops won't recover'

A farmer has said his wheat and barley crops are under threat as his land endures the driest spring in decades.

Rod Smith, who has 1,000 acres (4 sq km) of arable farmland near Holy Island, Northumberland, said if rain did not come soon his crop "would not recover".

The Met Office said 218mm of rain fell from 1 Feb to 16 May 2024 in the UK, but there was 40mm less rain over the equivalent period this year.

Mr Smith said: "The farm is effectively drying out."

The Met Office previously confirmed April 2025 saw the most sunshine in the UK for that month since records began 115 years ago, with 47% more hours of sunshine than the long-term average.

The recent dry weather follows England's wettest 18-month period between October 2022 and March 2024, which caused damage to soil according the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Mr Smith said: "In the forthcoming three or four weeks we require rain.

"If this drought continues our yields are going to be dramatically down which, with today's prices, I'm selling at less than what I was selling my grain for 20 years ago.

"If rain doesn't come soon my crops won't recover."

The Met Office is predicting a 45% chance of rain in the area on Saturday, which will be heavy at times.

Mr Smith said: "We're not alone. There's farmer up and down the whole country in the same position.

"People in the south are suffering even more than we are in the north, because we are on the coast and we have slightly cooler conditions.

"But it's not great if this drought continues."

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