FARMERS ARE harvesting whatever they can, wherever they can, ahead of rain forecast for later this week.

Only in parts of the east and south of England, which escaped the worst of the rain this weekend have combines been at work.

In the north some farmers are now becoming increasingly desperate as the rain refuses to give them a decent window to harvest.

Grain merchants are increasingly concerned that if rain continues grain quality will drop, causing a lot of milling wheat to fail the millers requirements.

That will force more to be sold as feed wheat.

Glen Sanderson told FARMERS WEEKLY Harvest Highlights that this year‘s harvest on the north east coast has been “horrendous”.

Farmers are more than frustrated, they‘re financially worried he stressed.

“In some cases the crop is a complete write-off – it‘s a nightmare.”

“Farmers have been hit by a triple whammy,” said James Chapman of Grain Co.

“Low prices, a poor harvest and soaring diesel prices make this year very difficult – and there‘s nothing to suggest it will turn itself around with another week‘s worth of bad weather already forecast.”

David Bouch, working for Dalgety in East Anglia said the harvest was going slowly. “Odds and sods were done yesterday, but nothing too substantial.”

The majority of the wheat harvested yesterday (Sunday) had moisture contents in excess of 16.5% after heavy rain on Friday night and localised showers throughout the weekend.

Farmers are combining their wheat with high moisture contents in Oxfordshire according to Harry North from Glencore.

“The longer this wet weather carries on then people will become more inclined to cut at higher moisture contents.”

Mr North said there are farmers who are combining anything below 20% moisture in order to get the crop into store before the forecasted rain later this week.

“I‘m seriously trying hard not to lose my sense of humour, but it‘s very difficult,” said Stephan Betts in Norfolk, as he continued to struggle with wet weather.

After speaking to Clive Brickell last week, he‘s made progress on his harvest by finishing up the Napier winter wheat on his farm near New Haven, E. Sussex.

“It wasn‘t the nicest combining weather but we just wanted to get it done.”

According to FWi weather services most of the UK will receive showers, with higher chance of prolonged rainfall in Scotland and the north of England.