As Canary Islanders count the cost of tropical storm Delta this week, UK farming bosses issued their own report on the threats and opportunities of climate change calling for urgent action.
The storm passed over the islands on Monday night and hit Tenerife, La Palma and El Hierro hard. Growers are evaluating damage in the fields and a more complete report should be available later in the week, according to exporters association Fedex.
The storm began affecting the islands on Monday morning and struck the most easterly La Palma first. It moved across the archipelago throughout the day and evening but it was La Palma that had the highest wind speeds of 152km/h. Elsewhere wind speeds were recorded at over 100 km/h.
“All crops have been affected to a greater or lesser extent, said Roberto Goiriz of Fedex. “Nets and tunnels have been damaged on Gran Canaria and Tenerife, banana plants have fallen in La Palma and Tenerife. Tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicum have all been affected. Sendings are still carrying on as usual, but volumes will be slightly lower.”
According to Angel Rivera, head of forecasting at the Spanish met office, this is the first season in living memory that tropical storms have hit the islands - they were reached by tropical storm Vince last month. "It is very difficult to tell whether this sort of phenomenon will become more common," said Rivera. "But there may be a tendency for tropical storms to be moving up in latitude."
Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union unveiled its climate change report warning of a global food shortage and calling on government to create a cross-departmental climate change minister.
“The potential impacts of climate change on the agricultural and horticultural sectors still need further research,” said Richard Hirst, chairman of the National Farmers’ Union horticulture board. “Our industry has some massive opportunities if we can make use of them and research and development - some of it near-market research - needs to be done to give us those opportunities.”
The NFU’s report found that UK horticulture is already experiencing substantial and lasting climate change and summarises predicted change as milder, wetter winters and warmer drier summers based on the UK climate impacts programme until 2080.
Climate change in other countries will also have an impact on the UK, Hirst warned. “We must not be driven out of business now as in 10-15 years there may well not be the availability of products from elsewhere,” he said. “I believe air travel and freight will also come a lot more under the spotlight. The UK must take farming food and bio-fuels far more seriously.”
The NFU’s report also warned that with almost 60 per cent of the UK’s best farmland lying at five metres or less above sea level, growers and farmers may need to invest heavily in flood defences if sea levels rise as forecast.
Tim Bennett, NFU president, said: "A driving force is needed to encourage research into the right areas and to work across all aspects of industry and government to ensure that coordinated action is taken to combat global warming. We believe the government has a responsibility in this area and that a dedicated, cross-departmental minister must be appointed to take a lead."
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