Widespread showers have brought harvest to a halt again today (17 August), and further unsettled weather is sparking some concerns over grain quality.

Wheat harvest was about 25% complete, according to David Sheppard, managing director at Gleadell Agriculture.

Quality was generally good, but Hagbergs ranged from 180 to 450, he said. “It will start to deteriorate if it keeps raining.

“Yields are all over the place, but are generally slightly lower than last year – we will probably be looking at a crop below 15m tonnes.”

Milling wheat quality was also becoming a concern in the Shropshire area, with 10 days of unsettled weather forecast, said Stuart Dolphin at Wrekin Grain.

“A lot of people were combining yesterday (16 August), but looking at the forecast that’s probably the only day they are going to be on.

“There is also going to be a concern for spring malting barley – that is next in line.”

However, in Somerset Richard Payne had finished harvest at Manor Farm, Heathfield, and was making a start on cultivations.

“We finished the spring beans yesterday – it’s nice to have had an easy harvest.”

Wheat yields were about 1.2t/ha (0.5t/acre) below normal, averaging about 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre), he said.

And in Co. Cork, Ireland, harvest was progressing very quickly, with spring barley harvest about 10 days ahead of normal, said Nicholas Dunican at Cork Combines.

“Most of the spring barley round here is coming in over 7.4t/ha (3t/acre), which is pretty good, and most of it is passing for malting. Everyone is feeling very buoyant.”

In north Scotland, spring barley and winter wheat were almost fit, but rain was holding harvest up, said Simon Barry at Highland Grain.

“There is still a lot of oilseed rape to cut – it’s late this year.”

Some farmers started cutting spring barley over the weekend, but most would not be ready until next week, he said.