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As wheat harvest nears completion in some areas of the country, growers are pleased with their crops. Reports show yields are generally a good average or above, with some better than last year, although showers are still dampening many harvests.

Despite the rain showers, Lincolnshire farmer John Ulyatt was 60% through cutting Welford wheat which yielded 10t/ha. Bushel weights were good and he said things were going a little better than last year.

“We’ve one more field to go and so far I’m highly delighted with it.” He planned to grow the same variety and the same area of crops next year.

Showers had also put a hold to harvest for Andrew Craig in Shropshire today, but he was half way through cutting winter wheat. First wheats Claire and Robigus yielded 9.4t/ha and second wheat Napier yielded up to 9t/ha. He said the samples looked good and the crop was weighing well.

 “There were no outstanding yields but it was a good average.”

Wheat was at the 10 year average for Essex farmer Guy Smith. He said Xi19 was “proven the top dog again” yielding over Solstice and Hereward. Crop quality was good and he was pleased his contract gave him a guaranteed premium.

None of the crop had to be dried and so he said it had been the easiest harvest he had ever had.

Jeremy Walker in Somerset was pleased with Alchemy and Gladiator yielding 9.4-10t/ha, and with the “very good” bushel weights of 79-80kg/hl. “The yields are surprising considering we thought it had all shrivelled up.”

But rain showers were making harvest “frustrating”, meaning he had to combine late into the evening.

Oilseed rape yields were “an awful lot better than last year” for Nick Davidson in Aberdeenshire. He said 32ha of Mendel yielded 1t/ha up on last year at 4.25t/ha.

See FWi’s Harvest Highlights section for the regional reports in full and more from around the country, updated every day.