SOARING temperatures, lack of rain and rising costs are combining to make this summer one of the most challenging in living memory for local farmers.
The record-breaking heat wave in Jersey – which saw temperatures hit 38°C for the first time – and dry conditions have pushed farms into using more irrigation for crops, with some having to tap into winter-feed supplies to keep livestock viable. Meanwhile, high fuel costs and shortages linked to the war in Ukraine are exacerbating the problems.
‘There has been a much higher cost to irrigate because it is all done using diesel pumps,’ Peter Le Maistre, president of the Jersey Farmers’ Union, said.
‘We have to water all the vegetable crops right now and, with fuel costs, it’s an expensive business.’
Mr Le Maistre said some farms were facing more challenges than others, with dairy farmers being especially hard hit by the hot weather while trying to maintain the herds.
Jersey Dairy chairman Andrew Le Gallais said the grass the Jersey cows would normally eat is just not there after the dry early summer conditions.
In 40 years of farming, he said, this was perhaps the third-worst season he had seen: ‘It ranks right up there and is exacerbated by the significant increase in the cost of animal feeds.’
How problematic this will be for dairy farmers will depend on whether the grass can recover later this summer.
Mr Le Gallais said the lack of grass meant cows were being fed forage crops normally held in storage until the winter and that raised concerns over whether the supplies would last.
‘It’s having quite a dramatic effect on us at the moment,’ he said.
And if the grass and other feed crops do not recover this summer, farmers will have to source overseas feed, the cost of which has skyrocketed with the loss of Ukraine’s significant output and other global supply-chain disruptions.
‘It puts us under pressure as expenses will accelerate significantly,’ he said.
Mr Le Gallais said farmers were now talking to the government about their recent concerns.
‘We are a pretty resilient bunch by nature,’ he said.
‘The concern will be whether we will see this kind of temperature increase on a more regular basis, which many are saying we will.
‘That means it is very important to make sure the Island has enough agricultural land for food production – for people and for cows.’
While the season for the Island’s signature crop, Jersey Royals, is wrapping up, potato farmers were still working in very warm and dry conditions, Mr Le Maistre added.
‘Everyone is lifting seed,’ he said. ‘It’s hot, dusty work.’
To help workers cope with the challenging conditions, farmers are doing what they did in 1976, when the Island experienced a two-month heatwave and 39-day drought, he said.
‘We work till 12.30pm and then we stop,’ he said.
‘We start up again after 4pm. It’s an advantage in the summer that we can work into the late evening with the light.’
One crop that has done well is grapes. La Mare Winery director Tim Crowley said the estate’s grapes had benefited from the weather as the vines were older and well-established in the ground.
‘They are designed by nature to have to hunt for water,’ he said.
However, La Mare’s crop of cider apples will be affected by the heatwave, Mr Crowley added.
With the dry weather, the apples will not swell and will be smaller with intense flavour, but more difficult to press.
‘This will affect the quantity but not quality,’ he said.
‘But it will also affect the price as we have to do all the same work to produce less.’
