Norfolk winter barley yields would not break any records, but the malting quality was reasonable, H Banham grain trader Tom Rivett said.

“I’ve only seen limited amounts but it’s not too bad.”

Maris Otter was proving to be of reasonable quality, albeit slightly thin. “Grain nitrogen is around the 1.5% level with 5-8% screenings, so perfectly acceptable,” he said.

Pearl was averaging 1.65% nitrogen and 3% screenings, while Fanfare was “OK” at 1.6-1.7% nitrogen. “It’s slightly thinner with 6-10% screenings, but it is a thinner barley anyway, more suited to poorer land, which would suffer more in this weather.”

Yields were not going to break any records, he said. “Growers have told me Maris Otter is doing around 2.1-2.15t/acre, while the others are doing 2.5-2.75t/acre.”

Mr Rivett was concerned about prospects for spring barley. “In my mind there will be problems with spring barley quality. They just haven’t had the rain to finish them off.”