'Real Risk' Of Bread, Beer Prices Rising

THE price of bread, beer and biscuits may rise this year as research suggests the unusually wet weather seen over autumn and winter could hit UK harvests by almost a fifth.

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The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) analysed the crop area forecasts from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHBD) as well as Government yield data.

It found that production of wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape could fall by four million tonnes compared to 2023 a reduction of 17.5%.

The decline may be more than five million or 21.2% - if compared to the average production of the years 2015 to 2023, the analysis also suggests.