Harvest is about 80% in Bedfordshire, according to Brian Shaw of Barton Hill Farm, Lilley, Luton.

“We’ve had a reasonable harvest – the weather, in the end, was quite kind over the past couple of weeks.”

First wheats had yielded well, but second wheats had been disappointing, he said.

Oilseed rape was about average, as were beans, while winter barley had been very good, and spring barley very poor.

Quality, in general, had been “pretty good”, said Mr Shaw.

However, the most disappointing element was the price. “Nobody seems to want to buy it. We’re just going to stick it all in the barn and shut the door.”

He now just had some winter wheat and beans to combine, with many people in the area almost finished.