NSW farmers brave rain and flood ahead of bumper harvest

Not long after many NSW farmers were nearly sent to the wall by crippling drought, they are about to record their second straight bumper harvest.

Farmers in NSW are on track to record their second bumper harvest in as many years – an “unheard of” event after years of savage drought drove many to the wall.

“Last year we were sort of treading water, this year will be about filling the boots. We need it desperately,” NSW Farmers president James Jackson said.

New government data shows NSW farmers generated $20.9bn worth of produce over 2020-21, headlined by a booming $8bn crop harvest consisting of wheat, barley and cotton.

Farmer Grant ‘Spike’ Orr on his farm Wilga near Parkes with his children from left Imogen, 3, Archie, 6, Lachlan, 8, and Anna, 10, and kelpie Jack. Picture: Jonathan Ng

And despite recent heavy rainfall hitting the state from north to south, farmers are still forecast to reel in a ­harvest of 54.8m tonnes of crops this year – a slight dip below last year’s monstrous post-drought harvest, but still 32 per cent above the 10-year average.

Parkes farmer Grant “Spike” Orr, who is preparing to harvest wheat and ­barley at his property Wilga near Parkes said that this year’s bumper harvest was on track to beat last year‘s – “the ­second best harvest I’ve ever seen”.

After two years of crippling drought, Mr Orr said back-to-back bumper harvests was “huge”.

“It goes a long way to filling in the ginormous hole we had in the bank account. It couldn’t have come at a better time,” he said.

“It’s unheard of to get two bumper harvests in a row – we’re cheering.”

NSW Farmers’ Mr Jackson said despite heavy rain striking the north and central west, potentially ruining millions of dollars’ worth of crops, producers were still well-placed to capitalise on great growing conditions.

“The downside is there has been some flood damage and crop damage with the rain, but there’s a lot of really big crops, which are going to be taken off.”