Crops update: Mixed bag for crops across Victoria

Rain fell in some grain growing regions last week – see a wrap of which towns had the most, which missed out and how experts see the remainder of the season unfolding.

Rain needed: Crops in the Wimmera could slip below average without any decent rain over the next few weeks, Victorian Farmers Federation president David ­Jochinke said.

GRAIN growers across Victoria are facing contrasting challenges, with crops in the north too dry and those in the south too wet.

Victorian Farmers Federation president David ­Jochinke said it had been a dry winter for most of the state, and a promise of a wet spring did not come to areas north of the Divide.

“It is average in many areas north of the Divide,” Mr Jochinke said.

In southwest Victoria, Mr Jochinke said it had been too wet and crops could lose their potential.

“Anything close to the coast is too wet,” he said.

Crops in central Victoria are looking to be on track for an average season, Mr Jochinke said, but they “will struggle” without any significant rain.

For the Wimmera, growers would likely have an average year, but they could also slip below average without any decent rain over the next few weeks.

“There wasn’t a lot in the tank and they will need a couple of good rains to get home,” Mr Jochinke said

Rain in the next fortnight will shore up Minyip grain grower Ryan Milgate’s confidence in his crops’ potential.

“We got about 5mm over the weekend, which was disappointing, as forecasts predicted 20mm for the area,” Mr Milgate said.

He said while crops were looking “fantastic” in the Wimmera, their large size meant they were short on subsoil moisture.

“We are keen to see that rain,” he said. “They (crops) look great, but when you look at the moisture probes – we do get a bit nervous.”

After promising April rainfall, the grower had ordinary falls for May, June and July, while also being hit with 31 frosts from June until July.

“At the start of August we were starting to look down the barrel of an ordinary season,” he said. “But we got 50mm in our patch in August. If we get reasonable rain over the next fortnight, it will shore up our confidence.”

According to Bureau of Meteorology figures, in the seven days to Tuesday morning Longerenong in the Wimmera recorded 32mm of rain, Goroke 15mm and Apsley 11mm.

In the Mallee, Werrimull recorded 15mm of rain, Murrayville, 12mm, and Birchip, 8mm.

In NSW, the best falls of the past week included 63mm at Forbes. The central-west NSW centre has now received 620mm of rain for the year, 140mm more than it would expect in an average calendar year and about 400mm more than it received last year. 

Parched areas around Broken Hill recorded 37mm of rain having previously received just 67mm for the year so far.

Hillston recorded 34mm of rain for the week, Menindee, 31mm, and Griffith, 22mm.

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