Yields have been very poor at Conicliffe Grange, Staindrop, Darlington, where Michael Manners has stopped combining after heavy rain.

“We were combining yesterday (23 August) and the day before, but we’ve just had a heavy shower, and with more forecast, that will probably be it for 10 days now,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if the yields were worth getting, but this has been the worst harvest since I left college – and that was a long time ago.”

Mr Manners had cut 89ha of Marcant high erucic acid oilseed rape, which had gone flat and produced just 220t – half of last year’s yield.

Grafton as a second wheat was averaging 7.4t/ha versus 9.9t/ha last year. “Quality is not good, but it’s not dire, either, at 70-74kg/hl.”

He had also made a start on Viscount as a first wheat seed crop. “It was no better than the second wheat, which was very disappointing.

“It’s hardly ripe – we have been pushing it all the time. If it stays dry for the rest of today we should have drilled all the oilseed rape, which will be good.

“We just need to keep the slugs away from it not – that’ll be the next thing. The sooner this year is finished the better.”

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Marcant
Area: 89ha
Yield: 2.5t/ha

Crop: Winter wheat
Varity: Grafton
Area: 120ha
Yield: 7.4t/ha