Pea shortage looms after earliest harvest in 14 years

The National Farmer’s Union sounded the alarm following record-breaking weather across England

Peas are arranged on a tray and prepared to be taken to one of the Underground tunnels to grow at 'Growing Underground' in Clapham, London (Getty Images)

Farmers fear there could be a shortage of British peas in supermarkets after the UK suffered its driest spring in more than a century.

Long spells of sunshine in recent months, including three heatwaves, as well as record-breaking dry weather has prompted the earliest harvest of peas in Britain in 14 years.

The National Farmers Union says the weather has caused vining pea growers across Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and East Yorkshire to suffer up to a 30 per cent drop in the number of peas picked and processed this year.

Henry Moreton, a regional NFU chair in Lincolnshire, told the BBC: “The east coast is your primary vining pea land. It's all good, well drained land that peas like to grow on. But it's not looking good at the moment. I've never known the viners go out so early.

“The British peas will be in short supply this year but, unless the rain does something really amazing or unless there's a really good end to the season, we are going to look at shortages.”

One pea grower in Louth said they started their harvest this year in early June, a fortnight or so before the usual start of the season.

The crops are said to be so stressed by the dry weather that the number of peas in a pod has dropped by more than half in some cases.

The drought has meant that the peas are maturing at a faster rate than the growers are able to harvest. This means some of the produce has shrivelled up and died by the time the growers go to pick it.

The remainder of the produce is proving to be very sweet, according to a Birds Eye quality manager, Michelle Lawrie.

The Met Office says England suffered its driest spring in more than a century this year followed by the warmest June ever recorded.

NFU Vice-president Rachel Hallos told The Independent: “The increasing extreme weather we are experiencing is impacting our ability to produce food. The challenges of the dry spell vary across the country from an earlier than normal harvest to a tightening supply. This is the reality for many farmers and growers as the ongoing dry spell continues to bite.

“With the likelihood of a changing climate in the future, we must take our food security seriously. That means government supporting farmers and growers to be resilient.

“Measures from productivity and research and development funding to finding new varieties that can withstand our changing climate - to more collaboration with government and its agencies and water companies – will help ensure farmers have access to a clean supply of water so they can continue to produce sustainable food for the nation.”