Latest reports from the HGCA show that 45% of the UK combinable area has been harvested.

It says the remnants of Hurricane Bertha slowed progress in the fifth week of harvest, with 320,000 hectares harvested, compared with 640,000 hectares in the previous week.

Winter barley and winter oilseed rape harvest is almost complete, harvest of winter wheat and spring barley continued, but rain has slowed progress compared with previous weeks.

The HGCA also says that yields continue to be above average for most crops, although where crops were waterlogged over the winter, established poorly or there were high weed and disease levels, yields have been reduced.

Current quality data remains good for most crops with specific weights acceptable. No data was available for crops harvested after the rain. For milling wheat, protein levels are lower than ideal.

Any crops harvested after the rain have been harvested at moisture contents over 14%, and as a result, most samples harvested towards the end of the period have required drying.