Oilseed rape yields have been disappointing at Priors Farm, Peasemore, Berkshire, where wheat crops look similarly poor.

“We cut all our oilseed rape on Thursday and Friday (9/10 August), and it’s probably only averaged 2.5t/ha,” said Richard Brown.

“Everyone around here has found the same. They have got very small grains and poorly filled pods – I should think the thousand grain weight will be pretty low.”

Even where the crops looked thick and well, they still hadn’t yielded, said Mr Brown.

“The wheat is going to be the same, although that doesn’t even look good now, it’s starting to look thin and poor. There’s just been too much rain and too little sun.”

Wheat harvest was still about 10 days away, he added.

“The grain that’s shrivelled is very hard, but anything that’s any good is still green. I’d be surprised if we averaged any more than 6.2t/ha, which is 2.5t/ha down on our average and 3.7t/ha below where we’d like to be.”

Spring barley was likely to ripen at about the same time. “That still looks quite hopefully – I don’t think it will be brilliant, but it will be the best crop we’ve got this year.”

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Sesame
Area: 61ha
Yield: 2.5t/ha