The British government declared a state of drought on Friday in parts of East Anglia, an important farming region in eastern England, after some areas of the country had their driest spring on record, according to Reuters. Declaring a region to be in a state of drought allows water companies to place curbs on the use of water. Areas in southwest, southeast and central England and Wales are also experiencing near-drought conditions following prolonged sunny and dry weather from March. "Drought has hit parts of East Anglia, with other areas in England and Wales also giving grounds for concern," Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said in a statement. Drought status means restrictions can be imposed on farmers who use waterways to irrigate their crops. Spelman said about 100 farmers had already agreed to reduce the amount of water they extract from waterways in the region. East Anglia is a key region for agricultural crops such as wheat, barley, sugar beet and rapeseed.
