Torrential rains that slammed northern Europe this summer has delayed crop development from the U.K. to Sweden, threatening the quality of the barley crop.
Rain in the U.K. and Ireland that topped records in June have persisted through July, with parts of England receiving a month’s worth of precipitation in a two-week period. The barley harvest in Germany was interrupted last week as rain made some fields inaccessible, farm lobby Deutscher Bauernverband said.
Lack of sun and soggy conditions have slowed the maturation of wheat and barley plants in the U.K. to about 10 days behind the normal pace, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.