Freezing British weather forces UK to import wheat for the first time in a decade

Britain could be forced to boost imports by more than 1million tonnes

Freeze also damaged many seeds, meaning next harvest will also be affected

Potato imports also expected to jump in the next 'crop year'



The cold weather has devastated wheat crops across the country, forcing Britain to import more of the grain than it exports for the first time in a decade.



The ruined harvests, which have cost farmers £500million, will force Britain, traditionally a significant net exporter of wheat, to boost imports by more than a million tonnes.



The freeze has also damaged many of the seeds that have been sown in recent weeks, meaning the next harvest will also be affected.

The cold weather has devastated wheat crops across the country, forcing Britain to import more than it exports for the first time in a decade. File picture shows wheat farm in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland

Mike Thomas, of the National Farmers Union (NFU), told the Independent: 'The last 12 months have been unreal for farmers.



'Last April we had a drought and talk of a hosepipe ban, then we had to contend with heavy rains and flooding and then the wintery weather, frozen land and snow.’



Britain is facing importing about 1.5million tons more wheat than it exports in this 'crop year' - which runs from July 2012 to June 2013.

Last year the country saw net exports of 1.6million tons, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.



Meanwhile, wheat has not been the only affected crop, with potato imports also expected to jump in the next crop year after plantings stood at just 4,000 hectares by the end of last month, just over 10 per cent of the 30,000 hectares planted this time last year.

Potato imports also expected to jump in the next 'crop year' after plantings stood at just 4,000 hectares by the end of last month







