Record-dry spring sparks alarm among Northern European farmers

Northern and Central Europe are experiencing its most severe spring drought in decades, with farmers across countries such as Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, and France deeply concerned about the potential impact on this year’s harvests. Crops like wheat, corn, barley, and rapeseed are at risk, as unusually low rainfall levels are leaving soil dry and crops stunted.

Nicolas Guilpart, an agronomy expert at the Agro Paris Tech Institution, told the France24 publication that continued water shortages will hinder plant growth significantly.

In Britain, it is the driest spring in more than a century. Eastern England farmer Luke Abblitt expressed his desperation, “praying for the rain,” and emphasized the need to adjust farming methods to cope with shifting weather patterns. Britain's Environment Agency reported reservoir levels as “exceptionally low,” prompting some farmers to start irrigating earlier than usual. The National Farmers’ Union has called for better water infrastructure investment to support agriculture in changing conditions.

The Netherlands is facing its driest spell since record-keeping began in 1906, while Germany has recorded its lowest spring rainfall since 1931. Between February 1 and April 13, Germany received just 40 litres of rainfall per square meter, triggering concerns about forest fires and crop losses.

Meanwhile, Denmark also reported exceptional dryness, receiving just 63 millimetres of rain over three months. According to the Danish Meteorological Institute, this marks only the seventh time since 1874 that spring has been so dry. The country’s drought index has remained above 9 since May 15—the earliest and most sustained high rating since its 2005 inception—while temperatures have also been unusually high.

France is facing a slightly different situation. Though groundwater remains at healthy levels, rainfall between February and May has been minimal in northern regions—equal to what would typically fall in a single month. Strong northeast winds have further dried out soil, leading many farmers to increase irrigation. Northern France was officially placed under drought alert this week.

The Federation of Swedish Farmers said it is still too early to determine the full impact but advised farmers to reassess their water strategies now.

While northern Europe is grappling with drought, the southern part of the continent, including Spain and Portugal, has experienced significantly above-average rainfall this spring—sometimes up to twice the norm—underscoring the growing climatic divide across Europe and the increasing urgency for adaptive agricultural planning.

By Nazrin Sadigova