New analysis indicates that Britain is likely facing one of its poorest harvests on record, following unprecedented rainfall last winter that has severely impacted yields.

This year's harvest for major crops is projected to be among the worst three since records began in 1983, trailing only 2020 and 2001.

According to an analysis of government data, the overall harvest is expected to fall by over 13%, or three million tonnes, compared to the five-year average.

In England alone, the wheat harvest is forecasted to be more than 2.2m tonnes, representing an 18% drop from 2023.

The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) based their estimates on preliminary data for crop areas of wheat, winter and spring barley, oats, and oilseed rape, combined with yield forecasts from AHDB.

Tom Lancaster, a farming analyst at the ECIU, described it as 'a year to forget' for many farmers.

He said: “The recent benign summer has failed to make up for six months of seemingly endless rain over the winter, the effects of which are now becoming apparent.

“More than most, farmers are on the front line of climate change, and this is what that looks like. Extreme weather is already feeding through to higher food bills and a greater reliance on imports."

This situation coincides with a record low in farmer confidence, which could potentially lead to reduced food production, as recently warned by the NFU.

The union's annual confidence survey, released in May, revealed that both short-term and mid-term confidence are at their lowest since records began in 2010.

Martin Lines, farmer and chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said he has never experienced a year like this.

"I don’t want to see another like it again," he said. “Extreme weather is making farming harder and it’s the main threat to our food security.

"Farmers need support in preparing for and coping with droughts and floods."