Wheat harvest is about 25% complete, according to David Sheppard, managing director at Gleadell Agriculture.

But farmers in Lincolnshire and the east midlands were faring better than those in the south, who had suffered more from the wet weather.

“We need two or three clear days to get a good chunk of the wheat cut. It is very frustrating.”

Quality was generally good, but Hagbergs ranged from 180 to 450, he said. “It will start to deteriorate if it keeps raining.

“Yields are all over the place, but are generally slightly lower than last year – we will probably be looking at a crop below 15m tonnes.”

Spring barley quality was also good, but yields varied from very poor on light land, to quite decent on heavier soils, he added.