Extreme heat, price hikes impose tough choices on UK farm
Euston (United Kingdom) – Pulling up some of the sugar beet that should be about handball-size by now, Andrew Blenkiron says the parched conditions have left the root veggies stunted and dried-up.
Record-breaking temperatures — as well as skyrocketing energy prices — mean the UK farm that he manages has had to make difficult decisions about which crops to save.
“This is about four to five centimetres (just under two inches) across,” Blenkiron says, holding up some undersized sugar beet in a vast and dry field at the Euston Estate farm.
“By this time usually we would expect them to be at least 20 cm in diametre, the sugar beet,” he adds, sounding worried.
The estate, 90 miles (130 kilometres) northeast of London, is now focused on watering its potatoes, which are in season.
But there is not enough water for its sugar beet crop, which has been left to fend for itself.
In this part of Suffolk in southeastern England, the soil is considered very fertile, as long as it receives enough nutrients and water.
But rainfall here in July was just 10 percent of the average amount — and over the last three months, it was only half.
Twice as much watering
The electricity bill at the Euston Estate farm is set to more than quadruple this year, Blenkiron, the estate director, tells AFP.
That will put it in the region of £370,000 ($438,000 and euros).
