Combines race ahead as harvest finish line nears

摘要

Harvest 2013 is proving to be a year of contrasts, with some record-breaking yields and others at the opposite end of the scale. The dry weather has made life considerably easier than in recent years, and many growers are putting the combine away forthe final time this season. In the south of England, harvest is almost complete, with most crops coming off dry, says Nick Matthews, trading director at Wessex Grain. "Crops on the chalk have been outstanding - but some of the brash and heavier soils haven't been great, with flooded or burnt patches," he says. Malting barley quality is generally very good, which makes marketing it far easier.