Rapeseed growers should start preparing for future water shortages, according to an expert.
Rothamsted Research has revealed the rainfall figures for the first half of the year which show the UK had its driest six month period for decades, with the north-west reporting its lowest amount of rainfall since 1929.
Furthermore, over the past five years between March and May, the UK as a whole has only received around two-thirds of the average rainfall recorded over the 30-year long-term average.
Ruth Kendal, farm resource management consultant at ADAS, has called for farmers to begin planning now to ensure they can cope with the predicted falling water levels.
She told fwi.co.uk that farmers should carry out a water audit to discover the current levels of water usage and identify any possible savings.
They can then use a variety of strategies, such as collecting and using rainwater and reducing leakages to help improve water efficiency, Ms Kendal added.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the rapeseed extraction industry includes; elevators – bucket elevators – valves
