Harvest is not going well at Jim Cargill’s Coldstream Farm, Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire, with heavy rain hampering progress.

“We had quite a lot of rain again last night (27 August).” Although he started his Optic spring barley on Tuesday, he had only managed to cut 24ha (60 acres).

“Yields aren’t great, but the nitrogen content is good, at 1.3%.” Moistures were very high, at 20%, he added.

“The early barley is beginning to brackle and we’re certainly losing some heads.”

Mr Cargill had finished his Catana and Emerson oilseed rape, which had yielded an unexciting 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre), he reckoned.

He now had 160ha (400 acres) of barley to cut, all of which was ready, and 80ha (200 acres) of Alchemy and Consort winter wheat, which was seven to 10 days off.

“It’s very mixed, and some of the heavier crops are starting to go down a little.”