Combinable crops in Cambridgeshire are all ripening at once, creating a logistical nightmare for farmers and central store managers.

Philip Darke, store manager at Camgrain, said within five days the store would be intaking every crop type at once.

“We have got wheat planned to come in tomorrow (20 July), and will be maxed-out on all crops within five days – peas, oats, wheat, you name it. I’ve never known anything like it.”

So far farmers had delivered 5000t of winter barley and 200t of rape, he said. “The rape has held on remarkably well, but cereals on light lands have died off.”

Winter barley yields were about 10% down on last year, but samples were pleasing, with bold grains and good malting potential.