“Progress is slow this year” said Robert Maylam in Ashford, Kent.

The winter oilseed rape is “nowhere near fit” having been drilled 10 days late after last year’s very wet harvest. “I wanted to keep cutting because of the wet weather, rather than drilling,” he said.

The Soissons winter wheat was looking “fitter than the rape”, although it did look “shrivelled”. The oilseed rape pods were ready whereas the straw had not ripened.

Mr Maylam hoped this year   would be better than last season’s rain-affected harvest.

But he admitted he was “under pressure” this year through cutting costs, lack of labour, and “very disappointing” crop prices.