Michael Manners is keen to get on spraying oilseed rape at Conicliffe Grange, Staindrop, Darlington, but is having to wait for it to ripen.

“It’s very frustrating – I sprayed one field off on Wednesday (31 July), looked at the rest and walked away,” he said.

“It’s so variable, it’s a nightmare. But it’s high erucic acid rape so we dare not get it wrong, as it would be worthless.”

With no winter barley in the ground, Mr Manners hadn’t yet started harvest, although a few people had been combining in the area. “The reports I’ve heard on barley have been reasonably encouraging.”

The spring barley was coming along nicely, but it did mean that all the crops would be ripe at the same time, he added. “It’s going to be a difficult one to manage.

“We’ve had some rain this week, so that’s helped the potatoes to grow well – but we won’t lift them until September. They’ll just have to wait.”

Further south, David Hinchliffe planned to start combining oilseed rape at Bank House Farm, Goole, by the middle of next week.

“There’s not been much cut around us; just the odd bit of barley,” he said. “I think next week most people will start to get on.”