We moan about our wet climate and don't appreciate how fortunate we are to have an abundance of rain that creates our verdant countryside, until we have a prolonged dry spell. That's when we should spare a thought for those living in arid regions where droughts lead to famine.

The recent rain brought welcome relief from the dry spell that has caused so many problems for farmers across Europe, although it has come too late to save many crops from poor yields.

Yields of root crops are expected to be well below average as a result of many farmers being unable to deliver enough water through their irrigation systems.

Conditions in Scotland's potato fields were becoming similar to those experienced during the drought of 1976 when yields crashed.

Fortunately, a fair proportion of Scotland's potato crop is grown for seed to be exported around the world. As a result, lower yields in Scotland will have a minimal impact on prices for consumers. It's the lower yields anticipated south-of-the-border, where potatoes are destined for human consumption, that will lead to higher prices. That's not necessarily good news for farmers, as housewives resist paying high prices and switch to alternatives like pasta and rice.

Other root crops like carrots are also predicted to be lower-yielding. The UK is renowned for being almost self sufficient in that popular vegetable, but the anticipated drop in yields could lead to a dramatic increase in imports. The national onion crop is also predicted to yield 25 per cent less and even Brussels sprouts could be scarcer in the shops this Christmas.

Lower yields of root crops will see supermarkets relax their standards and accept smaller or less than perfectly-shaped vegetables which will mean there will be less rejects available for feeding to livestock.

Of more concern for livestock farmers is the soaring cost of feed as a result of lower yields of grain. While the Scottish harvest is getting underway, combining of autumn-sown winter barley is more-or-less complete down south where yields have been about average. The same can't be said for wheat where the most adversely affected crops are in the Baltic and across northern and northern central Europe. Here in the UK many are predicting the spring-sown barley crop could suffer a 40 per cent drop in yields.

The increasing concerns about grain yields drove UK wheat futures (Nov - 18) past the £180 per tonne mark on 24 July, the first time since May 2013.

Rising grain prices have led to sky-rocketing feed prices. Feed accounts for more than 60 per cent of the cost of production in pigs and poultry. With the recent surge in feed prices many pig producers are now operating at a loss and possibly wishing they had heeded earlier warnings to plan more forward buying of ingredients.

Milk, beef and lamb producers are also feeling the pinch, with grazing in short supply and likely to remain that way for some weeks until grass growth fully recovers.

Most managed to make good quality silage and hay in the fine weather, but yields were about half to two-thirds lower than usual. A fair number with cattle, particularly milk producers, have already begun feeding their precious winter stocks of forage to supplement poor grazing. I have heard worrying tales of some who have already consumed half of their winter supplies. While it is possible that second-cut silage may recover enough to give a decent crop, it won't make up for that kind of shortfall.

In such a situation, livestock farmers traditionally buy straw to eke out fodder supplies, but prices for that has also gone through the roof. That's partly down to there being no stocks left over from last year as a result of the cold, late spring and partly due to anticipated lower yields. Livestock farmers are also having to compete with biomass generators that burn it to produce electricity.

Draff, the mash left behind after brewing or distilling was a popular low-cost feed that has become scarce due to brewers and distillers burning it to reduce their energy costs.

Now livestock farmers are complaining about the thousands of acres being used to grow feedstock for anaerobic-digesters (AD) that convert crops into methane to generate heat or electricity. Their gripe is that they are having to compete with an industry that enjoys a double subsidy - an area payment to produce the feedstock for the AD plant and the feed-in-tariff (FIT) for the electricity produced.

Sadly, livestock farmers are going to have to cut their cloth accordingly.