John Duffy, Trading Director for Frontier Agriculture, said wheat is 80% cut in the south, but only 10% has been done further north. Overall pre-rain quality is fine.

Yields are average to below, but the story is completely different from the “appalling rain” last year, he said.

He reported all varieties to be doing as expected, with Hagberg levels fine. Fusarium was a big problem last year but he said the crops are clean this year.

But Mr Duffy warns that rain this weekend (Aug 20-21) could potentially affect crops: “They’re all ripe, so quality can only get worse from the rain.”