Like many farmers across the country, Oliver’s farm was impacted by the drought and record high temperatures in 2025. His summer crops were poor – and failed to turn a profit.
The fair weather recently has been good for the winter crops, but he says the prices being offered for wheat by grain traders are still not covering the cost of production.
“I’m being offered around £160, £170 a tonne for next year’s harvest, and that is a price I wouldn’t be able to make a margin at,” he says.
“If the pricing remains like that… it is already looking like it would be pointless us growing any cereals in 2026.
“As a business, had we not diversified, we wouldn’t be here now. The margins just haven’t been there on the farming side.
“The majority of our income is now from those diversified activities, and it has to be, because the agricultural side is just so volatile.”