Oxfordshire farmer Tom Allen-Stevens was relieved contractors got his 90ha of Malacca wheat in the barn before the weather broke earlier this week and was happy with how it had performed.

Quality held up reasonably well, with Hagbergs over 350, although protein and bushel weights were slightly low at 13.8% and 75kg/hl respectively, he said. All will go for low grade milling.

But, a lack of ventilated long term storage on the farm meant he was eager to get grain moved into Wiltshire Grain’s central storage as soon as possible.

“In a year like this, to retain the quality you need to blow some air through it or give it a stir as soon as it’s harvested. But we’re having difficulties getting the lorries out to shift the stuff, so are worried that the grain that was harvested some 10 days ago could be losing valuable condition.”

Mr Allen-Stevens also had 16ha of Lioness oilseed rape, which yielded 3.5t/ha, with 42% oil, which was about average for the farm, he said.

“I think the weather this year has suited our light, drought-prone soils that bore most of the wheat this year. So, generally I’m buoyant about prospects and pretty happy about how the harvest has gone,” he added.