Britain has declared a drought in an eastern region of the country following one of the driest springs for a century.
Farmers are facing major problems because of the lack of rain.
Parts of East Anglia, a region where farming is a major sector, are now officially in drought, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Parts of southern and central England and Wales are also experiencing near-drought conditions, said the department.
'Drought has hit parts of East Anglia, with other areas in England and Wales also giving grounds for concern,' said Environment Minister Caroline Spelman.
'Water companies are confident that supplies are high enough so that widespread restrictions to the public are unlikely.'
But the dry weather is a major danger for farmers, with cereal crops particularly hard hit.
'Agriculture in particular has been affected by the dry weather, with the overall picture mixed for producers and growers,' said the department in a statement.
'The lack of rainfall is now causing more general challenges for the sector and some cereal crops are already facing irreversible effects.'
Farmers, water companies and environment groups were holding a crisis meeting today to discuss how to combat the dry conditions, officials said.
England and Wales this year had the second driest spring since 1910 and driest since 1990, according to the British Met Office.
The unusually dry conditions sparked rare wildfires in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in May.
Northern Europe has been suffering tinder-dry conditions for the past few months.
France yesterday announced €1bn in aid to farmers hit by drought.
