Late maturing crops and bouts of wet weather mean the 2015 harvest is now one of the slowest progressing of the last decade, according to consultancy group Adas.

An estimated 370,000ha were harvested over the period between 2-8 September, bringing the total harvested area of 2015 to 2.8m ha to date – just over 70% of the UK combinable crop area, the report says.

See also: Harvest 2015 round-up: Weather stays fair to allow cutting progress

Analysis blames the sluggish start to harvest this year on crops taking longer to fully ripen. The setback to progress was then made worse by the heavy downpours experienced in most parts of the UK during the second half of August.

As a result, Adas has dubbed the 2015 season one of the latest harvest periods in the last 10 years.

• Winter barley – All of the crop has now been harvested with average yields of 7.2-7.4t/ha, a 11-14% rise on the 10-year average of 6.5t/ha.
• Winter oilseed rape – 99% harvest completion with just small areas left to cut in Scotland. Average yields of 3.6-3.8t/ha, a 6-12% rise on the 10-year average of 3.4t/ha.
• Winter wheat – 70% done; slow but steady progress as crops are beginning to look weathered with some signs of pre-harvest sprouting. Quality is average with a 77kg/hl specific weight and milling wheat proteins averaging 12.6%.
• Spring barley – 50% has been harvested with all areas behind the progress of recent years and especially large areas still to harvest in Scotland. Quality is fair at 66kg/hl and nitrogen content 1.6%.
• Oats – 75% of the national crop has been cut. Crop quality is starting to deteriorate and is particularly a problem in southern England, although only relatively small areas of crop are affected.