HEAVY showers gave a much needed soaking to much of the region over the weekend – with around half a month’s expected rain falling.

Between Friday night and last night, 21.2millimetres of rain fell and while arable farmers anxious about the ongoing dry weather welcomed the downpour, they said it was too late to save a proportion of their crops.

Robert Middleditch lives and works on Blackmoor Farm near Beccles and reported the rain has not be advantageous for every part of his farm.

He said: “It has been very good for the some of the root crops but it is a bit too late for the cereal crops. We have lost yield now that we won’t be able to recover.”

Mr Middleditch added he is hoping the weather has settled down by the end of June.

He said: “We’ll have an early harvest in July and our greatest fear is getting out the combine harvesters in heavy rain.”

Ian Bryce – owner of College Farm in Hintlesham and vice president of the National Farmers’ Union in Suffolk – said rain could still be beneficial to his farm. However, he is hoping the weather does not get worse.

“Rain is most definitely welcome with yields being down between 20% and 25%,” he said.

“The thing we don’t want is hailstones and there were a few of them on Saturday. Hailstones shred the leaves of crops, puncture sugar beets and hurt the ears. We really need soft rain.”

He added: “People always say farmers do nothing but talk about the weather, but it truly is our master. You can have the best technology has to offer but it means nothing if you don’t have a bit of sun and rain.”

For the next week sun may be out of the question with forecaster Weatherquest predicting wet weather will continue until Friday at least.

Jim Bacon, managing director of the company, said he is expecting a substantial amount of rainfall.

He said: “These summer, thundery showers are capable of giving ten millimetres of rain. It is going to be showery and quite breezy and there will be heavy showers on Wednesday.”