UK pumpkin shortage: smaller crops after hottest summer on record

UK pumpkin sales total 24 million annually, but this year's crop is significantly smaller due to Britain's hottest summer on record, with farmers reporting lower yields and noticeably reduced sizes. Growers like Liz Paterson in Suffolk produced only 50 pumpkins instead of their usual 10,000, attributing the failure to extreme heat preventing pollination and drought forcing water prioritization for livestock. Other farms report crops 50-60 percent smaller than normal. The shortage has led to national supply issues, with large pumpkins particularly scarce, and farmers warn that El Niño conditions may bring similar challenges next year, prompting some to consider alternative crops.