Southeast Australian rains ''perfect'' for crops

Widespread rainfall Thursday (Apr 23) and Friday (Apr 24) in Southeast Australia with more forecast on the weekend provides a "perfect" start for winter crops, Victoria state Department of Primary Industries senior cropping agronomist said Friday (Apr 24).

 

The rain came from a complex westerly weather system with many forecasting further showers over the weekend. The government's Bureau of Meteorology reporting widespread falls over South Australia's wheat lands mostly in a range 10 millimeters to 24 millimetres (mm) and in Victoria 0.2mm to 9mm.

 

"It's perfect timing, and there's rain coming out of the sky," Grey reflecting on the fact that the area has been in long-term drought.

 

Southeast Australia was formerly considered safe and reliable for winter crops, but both states and neighbouring areas in southern New South Wales have suffered some savage droughts in recent years, sharply reducing production.

 

"We've had three shockers in a row so we're desperately in need of a good season," Grey said.

 

"We've got a succession of fronts to come through in the next three days which will hopefully top us up a lot more than what we've just had" to at least 25mm from the 11mm Cobram has had so far, he said.

 

"It's just ideal and if we get some follow up falls in a weeks time it will be even better" and allows farmers to plant early and late maturing cereal crops and canola as well, he said.

 

Meanwhile, way west, Michael Schaefer is also upbeat.

 

He chairs the grains section of South Australian Farmers Federation and this year will crop 3,500 hectares in a low rainfall area northwest of Kimba town in the northern Eyre Peninsula, "half way between Sydney and Perth on the highway."

 

The property has had 13mm in the latest falls with more rain forecast, building on a relatively moist 40mm in March and 76mm in December.

 

"We'll start planting seed tomorrow and keep going till we finish."

 

"The last three years we've had cracking starts but had no rain in September and that’s been the killer," he said.

 

"Everyone will be starting to plant something on the strength of this rain," with many growers in the state already having dry seeded early crops such as canola and lupins, he said.

 

"But everyone will be starting to plant something on the strength of this rain," he said.

 

The federal government chief commodities forecaster, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, early March predicted wheat production this crop year at 22.1 million tonnes, up from 21.4 million tonnes last crop year ended March 30. After annual domestic demand of up to 7 million tonnes is met, the balance of production is available for export, usually making Australia a major supplier to the global trade.

 

Winter crops are mostly harvested in November and December.