FARMERS WHO have suffered severe shortfalls in their industrial crops on set-aside should contact the relevant officials to avoid damaging cuts to their arable area payments.

Growers in southern Scotland and the north of England have been particularly badly affected by rain and some farmers are ploughing in failed oilseed rape crops.

The Scottish Executive said it recognised that some producers were unable to meet their contract terms, but that contracts could be amended or terminated.

The first step for farmers north or south of the border is to contact their local area office to advise staff of a problem.

SEERAD said a shortfall of more than 10% could only be considered if officials gave permission to revise yields downward as a result of severe weather.

Options then included cancelling the contract, revising it or changing the end use of the crop.

A Rural Payments Agency spokesman said that under exceptional circumstances a deficit of 10% in yield would be allowed.

“Shortfalls above 10% are only permitted in rare cases such as force majeure.

“In these cases growers are required to top-up the shortfall by supplying additional material or penalties will be applied.”

Richard Wordsworth, arable support schemes adviser at the NFU, said: “The critical point is that a shortfall in tonnage could reduce the set-aside area.

“This could in turn reduce the rest of the AAPS claim.” Farmers had to keep officials informed to avoid putting their area payments at risk, he added.