Pumpkin growers have lost their crop after a summer of heatwaves and drought.
Arable farmers David and James Nunn, from Mendlesham Green near Stowmarket, were devastated when this year’s crop failed.
Other growers in the county have reported smaller pumpkins and lower yields after temperatures repeatedly climbed into the high 30s.
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Some fear the poor harvest could cause a Halloween pumpkin shortage.
The father-and-son launched their three-acre pumpkin patch at Moat Farm off the A140 at Middlewood Green, Stonham, near Stowmarket, for Halloween 2022 and it became a big hit.
This is the fourth year the growers - who farm about 3,000 acres between Stowupland and Framlingham - have created a pumpkin patch.
But they had no irrigation in the field and could not save the crop.
“We have had to cancel for the first time ever. There are plenty of others in the area who were able to water their crops and are carrying on,” said James.
“The plants are all there. They grew but, unfortunately, with the lack of water they have not got to a decent enough size to produce pumpkins.
“Some have aborted, basically - they have started growing and then run out of steam.
“We have got a handful of pumpkins out there and some wholesale orders we’ll try to honour.
“We are sad. For us it was more than a bit of fun - it was a significant part of our business.”
The arable business is far bigger, but pumpkins bring much higher returns than cereals and other commodity crops.
That makes pumpkins a useful side-line in a difficult year for farmers.
“As much as it’s upsetting and disappointing, it’s not the end of the world,” he said. “It’s always been our most profitable hectare but, of course, you can’t replicate that across 3,000 acres.”
As well as growing pumpkins, the farmers created children’s play areas and farm walks for the half-term break.
“It was a useful little side-line and another diversification, but it was also a good way, as commercial cereal growers, to meet people and get the public on the farm.”
“We have built a following and I have had a lot of feedback from people on social media saying how disappointed they are.”
But they will bring the crop back next year. “We’ll have another go - after four years I feel we are pretty well set up,” he said.
“It might take a year or two to build it back up but I’m fairly happy we’ll do it again - I think we would be foolish not to.”
They have also tried sunflowers and other crops with mixed success. “Any little niche and getting people onto farm and cutting out the middle man is quite a good thing,” he added.
He expects a pumpkin shortage this year, with the heat likely to cut both the size and number of pumpkins “significantly”.
“I think it’s bound to affect it. For some it’s meant a much smaller crop.”
Even growers with irrigation face extra costs. “Again it’s putting pressure on your final figure, which isn’t good. It’s sad for us,” he said.
“I put in a fair bit of work, so we have lost some money. It’s something else we could have done without.”
He said crops on heavy land, which retains moisture better, still suffered as temperatures approached 40C, although oilseed rape did well.
“We are probably 20 per cent down on cereal yields.”
When the patch was launched in 2022, the Nunns grew about 10,000 pumpkins across 20 varieties.
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