Suffolk farmer Sam Fairs finished harvest a week earlier than normal, in the middle of last week (w/c 28 Aug).

He grew 800ha (2000acres) of Brompton, Alchemy and Glasgow winter wheat, which he said did not perform too badly this year.

“Yields were good considering the lack of rain in June and July. We haven’t finalised them yet but I think they are about average.”

Quality was fine in all varieties. “We got it all in before the majority of the rain, so there is no reason why quality should be poor.”

Next year he planned to grow Solstice, Timber, Alchemy and Glasgow. “We thought four varieties was enough and so Brompton was the one pushed aside.”

Mr Fairs said there was still plenty of wheat to be cut in the area, and farmers were concerned for the quality. “They will have to be now – the sooner the crops are cut, the better.”

He was three-quarters through drilling oilseed rape, which he hoped to finish by tomorrow (Sep 2).