The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has activated emergency trade protocols after an unprecedented mouse plague in eastern Australia began disrupting global wheat supplies. The infestation, which has ravaged grain silos and farmland across New South Wales and Queensland, has reduced Australia’s exportable wheat surplus by an estimated 15 per cent. Britain, which imports roughly 40 per cent of its wheat from Australia, now faces potential price volatility and supply shortfalls.
Defra’s contingency plan includes short-term diversification towards Canadian and French suppliers, as well as a trigger mechanism to release strategic grain reserves if domestic stocks fall below a three-month threshold. Industry sources indicate that the first shipments under the new arrangements could arrive within six weeks. The department has also urged British millers and bakers to prepare for cost increases of up to 12 per cent on Australian-sourced grain.
The mouse plague is the worst to hit Australia in decades. Warm, wet conditions following a prolonged drought created ideal breeding grounds, with mouse populations reaching densities of more than 1,000 per hectare in some areas. The rodents have destroyed stored grain, contaminated feed, and damaged harvesting equipment. Australian authorities have declared a state of emergency in affected regions and authorised the use of bromadiolone, a potent rodenticide, despite concerns about secondary poisoning of native wildlife.
For Britain, the timing is particularly delicate. The wheat market is already tight following poor harvests in the Black Sea region and increased demand from China. The National Farmers’ Union has warned that any reduction in Australian supply could exacerbate cost pressures on staple foods such as bread and pasta. Defra’s move is designed to reassure markets that the government has a clear plan to maintain supply continuity.
Under the contingency, Britain will accelerate trade negotiations with Canada, which has ample spring wheat stocks, and France, where soft wheat harvests have been robust. The government is also exploring the possibility of increasing domestic production, though analysts note that British wheat yields are unlikely to expand significantly in the short term due to land constraints and rising input costs.
“The priority is to ensure that British consumers and businesses do not experience disruption,” a Defra spokesperson said. “We are monitoring the situation in Australia closely and will adjust our response as necessary.”
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has warned that the mouse plague could persist for another season if conditions remain favourable. This raises the prospect of prolonged market instability. Defra’s contingency therefore includes provisions for a second phase of intervention, should the crisis extend beyond six months.
British millers have expressed cautious optimism. “We have been through supply shocks before,” said the chairman of the UK Flour Millers association. “The key is transparency and speed. Defra’s announcement gives us a framework to work with.”
The move has also drawn attention to the vulnerability of global food supply chains. The mouse plague is just one of a series of agricultural disruptions in recent years, from locust swarms in East Africa to drought in South America. Trade diversification is increasingly seen as a strategic necessity rather than a temporary fix.
Defra will issue its first monthly update on the wheat supply situation in two weeks. Further announcements are expected on the release of strategic reserves and the progress of alternative sourcing arrangements.
