British wheat yields hit 23-year low despite increase in area planted

British wheat yields are at a 23-year low, triggering a fall in production despite a slight rise in planted area, Britain’s farm ministry said.

It estimated this year’s wheat crop was 13.31m tonnes, down 12.8% from the prior season’s 15.26m as yields fell to the lowest since 1989.

“Yields have been affected by the poor weather this year which led to high levels of disease during spring and summer along with low sunlight levels during the grainfill period,” the ministry said.