Harvest continues to be disrupted by wet and windy weather, with farmers in Scotland particularly badly affected.

“We’ve got really unpleasant North-West showers today (14 September), so it’s pretty frustrating,” said Stuart Fuller-Shapcott at Sweethope, Kelso.

Harvest in the Scottish borders was not late, but was back-to-front. “We’ve cut all the wheat, but we’re only nibbling at the spring barley because it’s barely ready – the straw is still quite green in places.

Farmers still had about 40% of their spring barley and more of their wheat to cut near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, said Nick Davidson at Clola Farms, Milton of Clola.

“Some combines were cutting at 30% moisture on Sunday, but others haven’t been out for 10 days.”

Harvest was about 85% complete at AJ Duncan Farms’ Muirden Farm, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.

Manager Sandy Norrie said he had a great week combining a fortnight ago, and cut many crops which were not quite ripe.

“The moisture started to go up rather than down, but I’m glad we did it, given the weather since then.”

Further south, in Derbyshire, James Chamberlain had finished harvest at Glebe Farm, Shardlow, but said some farmers still had linseed, spring rapeseed and winter wheat to cut.

“The oilseed rape wasn’t too bad – it averaged 3.75t/ha (1.5t/acre), which, given the very dry season on light land, I’m quite satisfied with.”

Overall, wheat production was below the five-year average, according to results of a NFU members’ survey.

Although the planted area increased by 6%, lower yields meant total production would be about 13.5m tonnes – similar to last year but 400,00t below the average.