Winemakers prosper but veg farms wilt in the drought
Until this year, Phil Collins, a Wiltshire vegetable farmer, had never had an overdraft. Six weeks without rain has scorched his cauliflowers, shrivelled his spuds
Until this year, Phil Collins, a Wiltshire vegetable farmer, had never had an overdraft. Six weeks without rain has scorched his cauliflowers, shrivelled his spuds, and shrunk his bank balance.
"Six thousand cauliflowers at £1.25 each," he said ruefully. "You do the maths." Veg farmers across the country are warning of a shortage of produce after the driest July for 190 years.
But there are winners, notably winemakers. "The vines love the warm, dry days," said Somerset winemaker Sandy Luck. So as the heatwaves and drought persist,
who is thriving, who is struggling, and will farmers have to change what they grow in a warming climate?
The BriefWire