Pumpkin growers across the UK are warning of a difficult Hallowe’en season after an unusually hot summer caused this year’s crop to ripen weeks ahead of schedule. The premature growth means thousands of pumpkins are already ripe two months before they are typically in demand. Farmers fear that if heavy autumn rain arrives, many could rot in the fields before ever reaching supermarket shelves.
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Josh Warren, of Warren’s Fruit Farm in Draycott, Somerset, said hundreds of his pumpkins are ready far earlier than expected. He explained that seeds planted in mid-May would usually mature from mid-September, but this year they began ripening much sooner. “The hot weather and dry conditions have brought them on a lot earlier,” he said. “The million-pound question is, will they last until October? Too much rain and they could rot in the field.” He expressed hope that consumers might purchase pumpkins earlier, given that supermarkets have already begun stocking Hallowe’en goods.
This summer has seen four heatwaves across the UK, with temperatures rising above 30C, making it one of the hottest on record. Farmers who planted seeds later in June struggled in the dry conditions, leaving some with smaller yields or, in extreme cases, no crop at all. Emily French, of Foxes Farm Produce in Essex, said: “This is the earliest harvest we have had in 15 years,” highlighting that pumpkins, which are 90 per cent water, rely heavily on irrigation. Some farmers without access to sufficient water sources have lost their crops entirely.
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The impact of prolonged heat and drought has not been limited to pumpkins. Last month, pea growers in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and East Yorkshire reported up to a 30 per cent reduction in harvests. Rachel Hallos, vice-president of the National Farmers’ Union, warned that climate change poses a serious challenge to future food production. She urged greater collaboration between government, researchers and water companies to secure clean water supplies and support sustainable food production for the nation.
