FARMERS have been left counting the cost after the bad summer weather has meant that their crops cannot be harvested.
South East Cornwall has seen a deluge of rain in recent weeks and farmers have been hit hard.
They are now in a state of limbo where they are unable to harvest the crop because it is too wet, and they can't drill for next year's crop because the fields haven't been cleared
Michael Hambly, who runs Westcott Farm, Callington, is having major problems as the wheat is too wet to move, with a lot of it being destroyed.
'It's been a period of unprecedented rainfall,' said Mr Hambly, who still has around 130 acres left to harvest. 'In the 44 days since July 29, I have only recorded four days without rain.
'The crops are very badly sprouted and the ground is very wet. It is no longer a harvest situation, we are now in a salvage situation. It's all damage limitation now.
'We are all having to come to terms with the loss for this year's harvest and it could take up to three years for the damage to this year's harvest to unwind.'
Martin Howlett, the chairman of the Cornwall National Farmers Union (NFU) and who runs Deer Park Farm at Luckett, said: 'A lot of farmers are saying that this is the worst harvest in around 40 years. The deterioration of the crop is the problem. The crops have been bashed down by the rain and with moisture, the heads are starting to sprout.'
John Moss, of Howton Contractors, Pillaton, contracts out combine harvesters and other machinery to farms, but is also having the problem of not being able to harvest his own land.
'Everybody is having major problems with wheat now,' said John. 'The heads are dropping off and by the time they are dry, it rains again. It's having a devastating effect. Overall it's costing the industry and us a fortune. It's absolutely frightening.'