“The Expert and Winner oilseed rape did better than expected and took me a little by surprise,” said Robert Maylam in Ashford, Kent. He estimated 180ha of rape to have yielded 3.75–4t/ha, with Tequila also performing very well.

Germination was 95–98% and the crop had been sold on a pre-harvest contract.

He had also combined 36ha of winter wheat. Soissons yielded 9.75t/ha, which he said was possibly lower than average due to the chalk banks having dried out in the drought.

Solstice had cut at 10t/ha. “It was grown on the other side of the valley from the Soissons, towards Ashford. The yields were absolutely fantastic on this land, but am I going to get a premium?”

Mr Maylam was pleased with harvest progress and his new combines were going very well, cutting faster than he had hoped. “We’re set to finish 1300ac of crops on August bank holiday, which is pretty good.”

• Crop: Oilseed rape
• Varieties: Expert, Winner, Canberra and Tequila
• Area: 180ha
• Yield: 3.75 – 4t/ha
• Quality: 95 – 98% Germination

• Crop: Winter wheat
• Varieties: Solstice and Soissons
• Area: 36ha
• Yield: Solstice 10t/ha, Soissons 9.75t/ha