At its simplest level, arable farming is about growing crops. These span everything from wheat, barley, oats, and other cereals to fruit, vegetables, and sugar beet. While most crops are grown for human consumption, some, like hay and fodder beet, are used for animal feed. Others are grown for industrial purposes; these include hemp, which can be used to make paper, textiles, and construction materials, and oilseed rape, which is used to make biodiesel, lubricants, and oils. While there are different types of arable farming practices, most aim to maximise crop yield and quality while ensuring land remains fertile and sustainable.
In 2021, DEFRA found that crops constituted 40% of the UK’s agricultural production. Among these crops, cereals emerged as the most valuable, totalling £4 billion. Following cereals, producing vegetables and flowers generated a revenue of £3.2 billion. Industrial crops, potatoes, and others accounted for smaller portions of the overall agricultural output.
The success of arable farming is closely tied to weather conditions. Very wet weather can damage yields, while extremely dry conditions can mean crops don’t have the water they need to flourish. An increasingly variable climate means insurance for sown crops is more important than ever.