Milk shortage warning as drought in England and Wales puts major strain on supply

Food and milk producers in England and Wales have come under increasing pressure from extreme heat and drought, and Scottish producers have said they are looking north to fill in the gaps.

The UK experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, with five intense heatwaves alongside historic dry spells that triggered widespread drought declarations and hosepipe bans across much of the nation.

Thanks to the weather, farmers in England and Wales have seen poor grazing conditions, stunted harvests, and heat strain on livestock.

As a result, an Ayrshire-based organic dairy producer told the Press Association that it has seen a “quite dramatic” increase in demand for organic milk from businesses south of the border.

Mossgiel Organic Dairy founder Bryce Cunningham said he received three calls from businesses asking what milk his company could supply for the following week within the space of around 10 minutes.

Mr Cunningham said the level of interest was unprecedented for the farm and demonstrated how quickly the market had tightened, with businesses now looking further afield to secure supplies.

“The drought has caused serious supply issues across the dairy industry,” Mr Cunningham said.

“Organic milk is generally quite difficult to get at this time of year anyway, but the drought has amplified that.”

As of 11 September, Mossgiel Organic Dairy has sent approximately 56,000 litres of Scottish organic milk – or approximately two large milk tankers – south of the border to bolster supplies.

The company was asked to supply a further 40,000 litres, which it did not have available.

“In the dairy industry, (56,000 litres of milk) is relatively small beans, but in organics, it’s quite substantial,” he said.

“We’re obviously pleased to be able to help out, but it just shows you a sign of the times, you know, and how impactful this weather event has been.”

The increased demand comes as the UK milk market faces lower collections than 2025 due to the impacts of heat stress and drought.

According to Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) figures, UK daily milk collections are currently running around 1.24 million litres (3.7 per cent) lower than the same week last year.