Dalgety’s Don Bunting told FWi Harvest Highlights that harvest was going slowly in the south-east.

Fifty percent of oilseed rape had been cut in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and he said crops were yielding higher than average at 3.75t/ha. He said there was plenty of seed on the low biomass varieties of Caracus and Castille, improving on last year’s average yield of 2.75t/ha.

Over 80% of winter barley has been cut so far, with yields much as he expected at 5.5 – 5.8t/ha. He noticed generally high nitrogen levels in the Pearl barley.

With wheat harvest yet to get fully underway, Mr Bunting was expecting high protein levels and low bushel weights from the long and dry spell through the summer. He suggested Hagberg levels would not have been affected by the recent rainfall.