“If this week remains fine then the barley will get wrapped up.”

Unpredictable weather has been delaying farmer’s progress in the area causing this year to be a later harvest than usual.

Also quality seems to be variable with some samples having high traces of nitrogen and screenings going up past 2.25% screenings.

Mr Ford said: “Especially the land up in Norfolk suffered heavily by drought.

“Some areas didn’t see any rain for four weeks which damaged some of the crops.”

Mr Ford told us that the rape harvest is just starting and results so far have again been very variable.

He said that yields are around the 2.47-3.71 t/ha (1-1.5 t/acre) mark, while most moisture contents are now below 9%.