More rain is needed for State’s crops

From the Riverina to the North West Slopes and Plains, farmers have dealt with differing challenges this season, however, all areas have a common wish for more rain – and soon.

In the south, the Newell Highway has served as a de facto wall between good and poor seasons, according to Leeton-based BioAg Riverina and Murrumbidgee area manager John Hill.

“The Newell has been a bit of a divide, the eastern side toward Wagga Wagga is not looking too bad, but the western side (toward Griffith) is desperately looking for rain.”

Mr Hill said farmers west of the Newell faced more frosts this winter and had less soil moisture to start the season than those further east, after missing out on some of the autumn rain.

Even then, the mild start to winter across the region saw most crops off to a good start.

“We had big bulky crops... they were looking good early,” he said.

However, frosts, lack of soil moisture and low rainfall have left many unsure what sort of harvest they face.

“We’re on a bit of a knife’s edge at the moment.

Mr Hill said it was too early to give an estimate on the potential harvest for the Riverina and Murrumbidgee as good rain in the next two or three weeks could still result in decent crops while no rain could lead to disaster.

“We need about 25 millimetres to 35mm to maintain reasonable yields,” he said.

There was more optimism and confidence from farmers in the Central West, said Elders Dubbo agronomist David Pollard.

“We had a very, very good start, and then more falls to keep the crops going,” Mr Pollard said.

“We haven’t had too much frost damage either.”

Mr Pollard said crops in the area were getting close to coming to head and flowering, and the further north you went the further advanced the crops.

Due to the good start to the season, a lot more canola was planted in the region this year, he said.

While farmers were on the lookout for more rain this month, this was to finish the crop off rather than the more desperate need for rain in other parts of the State.

Further north at Warialda, McGregor Gourlay Agricultural Services agronomist Paul Durkin said scattered winter rains meant farmers across the North West Slopes and Plains were all in different boats.

“It’s just been so patchy,” he said.

Late winter rain around Warialda was a great help to the crops, while Inverell and Bingara got much better falls and Moree was still looking dry.

“All the areas still need spring rain to finish it off though,” Mr Durkin said.

Mr Durkin’s McGregor Gourlay colleague in Inverell, John Thompson, said cereal crops in the region were just reaching joining stage (just prior to booting and the last window for spraying).

Mr Thompson said recent late winter rain was “very timely” though another good fall during the next three weeks was still needed.

Mr Durkin said nearly all farmers who put in crops in the area should be able to take them through to grain at this stage, thanks to the recent rain, while Mr Thompson was still hopeful of “above average yields”, provided there was another heavy rain event and no frosts throughout the next couple of weeks.

ABARES forecast the winter crop yields to rise for wheat and canola in NSW compared with last year, despite “significant regional differences” with soil moisture and rainfall across the State.

However, this increased yield was dependent on more rain falling soon.

“The effect on winter crop prospects will depend on both the timing of rainfall received and the quantity,” the ABARES Crop Report for the last quarter advised.

Provided rain can finish the crops across the State, NSW wheat production is forecast to rise by 10 per cent to 7.3 million tonnes, and canola by 5pc to 943,000t.

Regardless of how the season finishes, ABARES has forecast barley production to decline by 2pc to 1.2mt.

TEN frosts in a row haven’t dented the confidence of Chris Sweeney when he looks at his Gregory wheat crop.

Mr Sweeney, “Wattle Grove”, Forbes, said the frosts hit at the start of August, however, one month later and the crop is close to head emergence stage and he thought it had survived well.

“The frosts might have done a little bit of damage... (but) I’m confident we will get a good harvest.”

Mr Sweeney said 40 millimetres to 80mm of rain in September would be crucial to a good harvest.

“The season always depends on September rain,” he said.

“It’s the money-making month.”

Good rain near Forbes in late summer and autumn meant the crops were still benefiting from a decent amount of soil moisture, he said.

“There’s still a reasonable profile... it has kept them (the crops) going.

“Now we just need that September rain to guarantee the crop will finish.”

Other than the horror stretch of frosts in early August, Mr Sweeney said the rest of the winter had been relatively mild and dry.