Following another week of very wet weather, conditions are extremely challenging and very little harvesting is taking place. Losses have occurred already, which are likely to substantially increase as we progress through the harvest. Met Eireann data shows many stations have already exceeded the average annual total rainfall and others close to it. Now that we are in November, we are in extremely difficult territory with this much crop left to be harvested. The heavy rain has washed most of the clay off the top of the drills which leaves the crop more prone to frost damage. A few hard frosts at this point will wipe out entire crops.

In the U.K. more rain has made soils extremely wet again and there are growing concerns that some of the crop will not be lifted. From the Midlands northwards there are still a few growers with “in excess of 500 acres” to lift, including those who had planned ex field lifting of late varieties for processing.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com