Wet weather brought harvest to a halt over the weekend, and an unsettled week ahead could frustrate further attempts to cut crops.

In Sussex, James Fuggle was hoping to start combining winter barley at Chessons Farm, Wadhurst, this week.

“We were going to start on Friday (15 July), but it wasn’t fit. It rained over the weekend, and we just need the sun to shine now. The barley looks decent, but you just can’t tell until you get the combine into it.”

Harvest got off to a poor start at Rectory Farm, Ickleton, Essex, but later crops were more promising, said Peter Wombwell.

The first block of oilseed rape, yielded just 1.2t/ha (0.5t/acre) on very light land, but the second field, on stronger land, yielded much better at 4.6t/ha (1.85t/acre).

“I think all of harvest is going to be as variable, according to soil type. It was a bad start, but is improving.”

Crops were yielding reasonably well at Elm Tree Farm, Counthorpe, Lincolnshire, but combines were at a standstill today (18 July).

Saffron winter barley had averaged almost 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre) across 53ha (130 acres). “It wasn’t too disastrous at all – we couldn’t complain at that,” said Alan Hind.

Wet weather was also hampering harvest at Haddon Farm, Bridgwater, Somerset, where Jeremy Walker wanted to combine oilseed rape.

“We’ve got 200 acres (80ha) to cut, and some has been desiccated for a couple of weeks so I want to get into it.

“But it’s drizzling today and looks like a frustrating week of weather ahead, so we won’t be cutting it for a day or two.”

In Worcestershire, harvest started 10 days earlier than last year at Lincoms Farm, Hartlebury, and yields had been reasonably pleasing, said Andrew Symonds.

He cut 15ha (37 acres) of Flagon winter barley last Wednesday (13 July), and was pleased with a yield of 6.75t/ha (2.7t/acre) at 13.8% moisture.

“We struggle to get 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) on our ground, so I was pleasantly surprised, given the yields that some other people have had this year.”

It was not just the UK that was suffering in wet conditions; combines in France had also ground to a halt, said analyst Agritel.

Thunderstorms were forecast in Ukraine today, while across the Atlantic, American markets remained firm, with renewed worries over a potentially damaging heatwave during corn pollinisation.