Bumper season: Harvest underway for NSW grain growers
Some NSW grain growers have had some setbacks with harvest this season, but crops are still on track to record bumper yields.
HARVEST in NSW is well under way, with yields on track to be above average after years of drought.
Moree grain grower Matthew Madden said he has had an ideal start to the season.
“Barley yields are looking exceptional and wheat is looking good,” he said.
“Barley should reach five tonnes a hectare and wheat should get 3.5 to five tonnes a hectare.”
Because of the bumper start to the season mixed with a mild winter, crops boomed early in northern NSW, triggering an early start to harvest.
“Harvest started very early this year, on about October 10,” Mr Madden, who is also NSW Farmers Grains Committee chair, said.
But after storms hit parts of northern NSW a few weeks ago, harvest was halted for growers and crushed hopes of high yields for some.
“The north of the state has experienced some isolated storms, and some individual properties have had some devastating losses,” Mr Madden said.
Further south there has also been rain, but crops weren’t as mature yet. “So there are no major problems overall at this point,” he said.
He said growers in the Moree district were looking at above average yields this year, paired with good quality grain and good prices.
“NSW is still on track for a large crop,” he said.
However, with a delay in harvest in northern NSW some labour issues were imminent.
“With areas ready for harvest at the same time, we are having some capacity issues,” Mr Madden said.
“Contractors in the north are needed in the Central West, and good yields are also slowing contractors down.
“Staffing has been tough and limited and tensions are high to get crop off.”
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