The National Drought Group has stepped up its response to the heatwave as parts of southern, central and eastern England move closer to drought status.
The recent extreme weather is having a “severe impact” and is affecting water supplies and food production.
As of the start of this week, eight areas across England were in prolonged dry weather – the stage before drought. Seven water companies have now implemented or announced future temporary use bans for 23 million customers.
The weather is already having an impact on food production with cereals, dairy and brassicas among others suffering under the conditions.
“Dry weather depletes our water, while the hot conditions mean we use more of it,” said Helen Wakeham, chair of the NDG and director of water at the Environment Agency. “This is a difficult combination, and we are seeing the effects on our farmers, our wildlife, and the amount available for public and business use.”
The NDG – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, farmers, Canal & River Trust, anglers and conservation experts – met on Monday following the recent heatwave, which saw 12 consecutive days of temperatures above 30°C.
England has only received 3% of its long-term average July rainfall, with the south and east of the country receiving nothing at all so far – the longest spell without rain since the mid-1990s.
“Farmers and growers across the country are working around the clock to harvest crops which have come early, keep fruit & vegetables watered, and care for their livestock,” said Paul Tompkins, deputy president of the NFU.
He raised concerns that for arable farmers “this could be another difficult and expensive harvest after extreme weather impacts in both 2024 and 2025 which saw both drought and flood”.
“To help farmers adapt, we must strengthen resilience to climate volatility,” he added. “That means a more responsive abstraction licensing system, a consistent positive approach in planning to make building reservoirs easier, which will lead to investment in on-farm water storage.”
The NDG warned the exceptionally wet winter provided an initial buffer, but the intensity and longevity of the hot and dry weather was now taking a toll.
It comes as Nationwide Produce warned that in addition to growth issues, irrigation is under increasing pressure, harvesting windows are becoming shorter, and plants are under stress due to the continued heatwave.
The major produce supplier and grower warned that while there were four heatwaves last year, this year heatwaves are longer, with a record nine days of temperature reaching 34°C or higher.
“At this point in the season, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Tenderstem broccoli would normally be growing quickly and moving through the fields in significant volumes,” the supplier said. “Instead, sustained high temperatures are causing some crops to slow down or shut down altogether.”
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