The UK is set to be hit by another heatwave in the coming weeks, with temperatures expected to soar to 41C, and experts warn a chicken shortage could be on the cards as food security comes under threat
The UK has been cautioned that a chicken shortage could arise as temperatures are predicted to rocket to 41C during another heatwave in the forthcoming weeks.
The scorching conditions have a substantial effect on the UK farming sector and food provision, with livestock and crops facing pressure in the sweltering temperatures.
Between July 8 and July 11, another bout of blistering highs are anticipated, with the heat projected to surpass 40C as Britain’s record-breaking day approaches.
In 2022, when temperatures previously climbed to this level, thousands of chickens perished during transit, triggering a supply shortage.
Jez Fredenburgh, senior food and climate analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said: “The UK’s food system, including nature and farmed animals, is increasingly coming under strain from periods of high heat, and we’ve had two record breaking heat waves in both May and June.
“These can have disastrous consequences. For example, during summer 2022, when temperatures reached more than 40C in the UK, around 18,500 chickens died in transport due to heat stress and wildfire incidents increased by more than 300% compared to the year before.”
Extended elevated temperatures create stress on farm animals and pose an enormous challenge for agricultural workers.
Chicken availability problems have sparked mayhem in the UK previously. Well-known fast food chain KFC ran out of chicken in 2018, forcing hundreds of outlets nationwide to close temporarily.
During the shortage period, the takeaway giant stated: “To put it simply,” KFC tweeted at the time, “we’ve got the chicken, we’ve got the restaurants, but we’ve just had issues getting them together.”
Another scorching period could result in protein shortages across numerous restaurants as the farming sector encounters mounting strain.
Martin Lines, farmer and CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network said: “The current heat across the UK is another reminder that farmers are on the frontline of climate change.
“Prolonged high temperatures place huge stress on livestock, dry out soils and reduce crop resilience, all while putting more pressure on nature.”
Last week, the sweltering conditions already caused bare supermarket shelves owing to refrigeration problems, however with the additional worry of supply shortages the next bout of extreme temperatures could leave UK stores looking remarkably bare.