Food price fears after Europe’s heatwave destroys estimated €2bn of crops

British farmers are reporting dry conditions, with East Anglia and parts of south-east England being hit the worst. Photograph: Matthew Ashmore/Alamy

The heatwave that swept across Europe in June is estimated to have cost the continent’s grain farmers €2bn (£1.7bn) in lost revenue and destroyed 9m tonnes of crops, sparking concern about the impact on the price of food.

Coceral, the European cereals and oilseeds trade association, made the estimate for the harvest of crops such as wheat, barley, maize and oats following the heatwave.