August 28, 2008

The 2008 wheat harvest for England and Wales has resumed following recent rain delays, and the crop has not been too badly affected by adverse weather, the National Farming Union said Wednesday (August 27).

"Farmers have made more progress into wheat crops over the past few days, particularly Thursday to Monday," said a NFU crop update.

The NFU estimated that 20-25 percent of the nation's wheat crop had been cut, but that ripe crops are increasingly at risk to quality damage from further wet weather.

A UK grain trader estimated that, weather pending, as much as 70 percent of the crop could be harvested by the end of the week.

"Mild and dry weather continues across the UK through Saturday to accelerate harvesting," said forecasters at T-Storm weather.

However, T-Storm added that another weather system late this week and early next week could bring more rain, which could again stall work. This is forecast to be followed by more showery and cool weather next week.

It had been feared that the rains had lowered the quality of the wheat crop, but the NFU said wheat fields "up and down the country are still holding on to quality."

Wheat has yet to ripen in northernmost parts of the country and areas in the West Midlands, the NFU added.