Farmers in England are raising alarms over crop failures as the country faces its driest spring in nearly 70 years. Irrigation has begun weeks earlier than usual due to exceptionally low water levels, particularly in the north-east and north-west. The National Farmers' Union reports dire conditions, with livestock farmers worried about grazing shortages. Hence, timely rain in early May is crucial to prevent severe agricultural disruption. The National Drought Group has warned of a lack of system resilience, as water companies are preparing for imminent resource extractions amid declining river flows and expected hampered fish populations.
"The dry conditions and lack of any substantial rainfall has meant farmers in some parts of the country have started to irrigate crops much earlier than normal."
"The extreme weather patterns we have experienced over the past few years are impacting our ability to feed the nation."
"There's no resilience in the system. All the Environment Agency and water companies kept saying was, 'we hope it's going to rain'."
"Reservoir storage in England is currently at 84%, compared to 90% at this time in 2022 - the last year the UK experienced a major drought."
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