Jim Cargill is likely to have lost £700,000 in income this year at Coldstream Farm, Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire, with every crop yielding below average.

“We have finished harvest, but that’s about the only good thing you can say about it,” he said. “It really hasn’t been good.”

Spring barley averaged 5t/ha, with Propino 2.5t/ha below average and Optic about 1.2t/ha down. “Quality was okay – we had some skinning of 5-15% but it’s all made malting.”

Winter wheat yielded between 1.2t and 1.9t/ha below average, at about 7.4t/ha. “It’s still in the shed, so it’s hard to tell what it’s done for sure,” said Mr Cargill.

“We had Istabraq and Viscount and it was very varied. The Viscount was earlier sown, and was better on the good fields.

“But later sown crops, and those on heavier soils weren’t so good – we had some second wheat that only did 5t/ha. It was a disaster.”

Winter barley was unexciting as well. “I wouldn’t think it made 7.4t/ha. The bushel weight on wheat and winter barley was light as well, so we will struggle to make the grade on both of them,” he added.

“It’s the worst harvest I can remember – on 304ha of cereals I reckon we’ll be £700,000 down on income.”

Crop: Spring barley
Varieties: Propino and Optic
Yield: 5t/ha

Crop: Winter wheat
Varieties: Istabraq and Viscount
Yield: 7.4t/ha