Farmers report poor harvest as extreme weather takes its toll

- Watch a full report from ITV News Anglia's Rob Setchell.


Farmers across the region are reporting a disappointing harvest as the impact of extreme weather take its toll on yields.

The combination of a wet winter, a very dry spring and then a heatwave has left many with a harvest headache.

Harvesting at Helmingham, Suffolk. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Tom Jewers is a fifth generation farmer, with hundreds of acres near Stowmarket in Suffolk.

He said his wheat yields decreased by 10-15% while crops like winter beans were down by 80%.

Many farmers across the east have similar worries.


Nigel Barnes, Bedfordshire farmer. Credit: ITV News Anglia.

Nigel Barnes, who farms at Westoning in Bedfordshire, says his biggest concern is that the wet weather over autumn and winter will hit the quality of his grain.

Grain that could be sold for making bread is then only good enough for animal feed, which leaves farmer counting the cost.