AERIAL contractors are in high demand as boggy conditions put a halt to on-the-ground spraying and urea spreading across the state.
Crop dusters had been called in across the Central West, as far out as Bourke, and into the Riverina.
Collie producer John Herbig, "Pineview", hasn't been able to walk into his paddocks without gumboots on since May.
Mr Herbig has recorded more than 300 millimetres of rain in the past four months, which slowed the growth of his crops.
"Using aerial spraying lets us overcome the water logging and help make the plants start growing again," he said.
If it wasn't for aerial spraying, Mr Herbig said almost a month without rain would be needed before he would be able to get machinery in the paddocks again.
He contracted Trangie company Rebel Ag to spray 900 hectares of Hattrick chickpeas with fungicide, zinc and trace elements to help kick start growth and keep disease, such as ascochyta blight, at bay.
"Ascochyta spreads more in the wet so it's more of a preventative spray at the moment."
Rebel Ag managing director Julie Black, Trangie, said the company was working seven days a week with five planes in action.
"We've seen a high demand for spraying and urea spreading, which has mainly been brought on because of the wet weather," she said.
Large demand for air services was coming from Bourke, Nyngan, Warren, Tottenham and Forbes districts where moisture profiles were more than full.
"There is a hold on urea spreading at the moment," she said.
"Most farmers are waiting for the next lot of rain, which is forecast for later this week."
She said aerial spraying allowed farmers to capitalise on rain, which they wouldn't be able to do using machinery.
Boggy conditions were also drumming up business for aerial contractors in the south.
Riverina contractor Mark Brear, Riverina Crop Care, Wagga Wagga, said it was too wet for farmers to put machinery into paddocks.
"People want to make the most of the rain and get urea on as soon as they can, but putting machinery onto crops will cause too much damage while it's this wet," he said.
Running three planes, Mr Brear said they were working from dawn to dark to keep up with demand.
Gunnedah-based Jonathon Middle- brook, Middlebrook Air Operations, hasn't been as busy as his southern counterparts.
"It's not as wet here as it is down south but there are a lot more farmers using split applications for spraying and fertilising so they can maximise their yields," Mr Middlebrook said.
He said urea spreading would pick up in spring, when producers would be chasing protein in their wheat crops.
