FARMERS are desperate for some much needed sunshine and warmth after record September rains fell across much of the state’s major cropping regions.
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Few farmers recorded less than 100 millimetres of rain during September with some receiving closer to 200mm during September. Most areas received three to five times the average monthly rainfall.
Hillston, in the western Riverina received 178mm of during September which is more than six times its average.
Making matters worse, the torrential September rainfall followed a wetter than normal winter which had left paddocks wet and with limited capacity to absorb more water.
Many crops are still sitting in water which has farmers holding out for a prolonged period of dry weather to allow paddocks to drain and dry out.
Most areas are still holding on reasonably well with the unprecedented wet weather but pulses are clearly suffering.
Excessive rain has already slashed ideas of the upcoming chickpea harvest.
In its latest production update Pulse Australia has cut its estimate of the size of the upcoming chickpea harvest to 1.23 million tonnes, down 23 per cent from its July estimate of 1.7 million tonnes.
Much of this downgrade has been in central NSW which has copped the brunt of the wet weather through winter and now again in September.
Farmers in NSW boosted chickpea plantings in 2016 as they looked for better returns from low wheat and barley prices.
But crops have struggled with the excessively growing conditions this year, particular in central west NSW, where many crops sitting in waterlogged paddocks have already been abandoned.
Disease pressure, associated with the wet weather has also cut yield prospects for pulse crops.
Chickpea prices remain well supported as farmers buy back sales made earlier in the season.
Prices into Brisbane are holding at $1000/t which is $250/t higher than early September.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
Even with the disappointing crops, better yields in other areas is still expected to see the national chickpea harvest top last year’s previous record large harvest.
Central Queensland farmers have already started harvesting chickpeas and yields have been exceptional.
Cereal crops have handled the wetter than normal growing conditions better than pulse crops.
Many traders are still forecasting a national wheat crop of around 28 million tonnes, despite the wetter than desired weather.
