Good rainfall welcome, but grain farmers need more

WEST Wimmera and central Victorian farmers are praying for rain, despite the weekend’s wintry blast.

NEWS: Weather

WEST  Wimmera and central Victorian grain farmers are praying for more rain, despite the weekend’s wintry blast.

Much of the Western District ­received 25mm, a welcome reprieve following an unusually dry 12 months.

Parts of the southern Wimmera received just 7mm, and crops there, as well as those in central Victoria, need more rain within a fortnight.

Conversely, Gippsland and North East Victoria continue to enjoy a good season.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Meteorology show a large chunk of western and central Victoria had the lowest rainfall on record in 2014-15.

While farmers, agronomists and climatologists largely agree the forecast El Niño with its dry weather pattern is in play, they all hope for at least average rainfall in spring — the critical time for Victorian pastures and crops.

Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Dr Blair Trewin said despite the wild weather over the weekend, the unusual pattern in rainfall was clear in the past 12 months’ figures.

“A lot of this was driven by what happened in the second half of last year — the first half of this year has been close to normal,” Dr Trewin said.

Staying dry: Amelia Fanning from Tylden with an orphan dorper lamb and Kelpie named Percy. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Rainfall totals were down by 20-40 per cent for the past 12 months on normal levels throughout most farming regions in Victoria.

“The area that stands out is far southwest Victoria and South East South Australia,” he said. “Under normal circumstances, it has the most reliable rainfall, and it is now 30 per cent below normal, but most of that is because of how dry the second half of last year was.”

Dr Trewin said a “moderately strong” El Niño had established, and was intensifying, but this did not directly relate to the amount of spring rain southern Australia could expect.

“The current seasonal outlook for the state is there is a 50-60 per cent chance of below-normal rain for July to September, so it is slightly dry,” Dr Trewin said.

Victoria’s cropping areas are “still in the game” despite lower-than-expected autumn and winter rainfall in some parts, according to Victorian Government agronomist Dale Boyd.

Let it rain

Mr Boyd said good rain in parts of the northwest over summer meant soil moisture levels there remained sufficient to support crops.

He said the weekend’s rain was timely, but more would be needed in a fortnight.

The state’s southwest received the biggest boost to soil moisture levels, with about 25mm falling across Lake Bolac and Hamilton.

But the rain was not enough to increase soil moisture levels in the Mallee or Wimmera.

Casterton livestock farmer Ian James received 20mm at the weekend, but conditions were “unusually dry”.

“Black soils are cracking here — that should not be happening in June-July,” Mr James said.

“I feel better about the outlook after the weekend’s rain, but I haven’t got a good feeling about the season.”

In the west Wimmera, farmers are waiting on each rain to keep crops going, while in the eastern Wimmera and north, conditions are marginally better.

Nhill wheat farmer Geoff Bone said he was “amazed” grain crops were surviving.

“All of us are just living from shower to shower at the moment,” Mr Bone said.

READ MORE: Bureau of Meteorology drought map has Victoria in the red

In central areas, Shepparton’s Advanced Ag agronomist Cameron Pogue said after a “very timely” 25mm in the Euroa region over the weekend and 10-15mm at Shepparton, there was “good potential for average crops in some areas”, but other areas needed much more rain.

“It is 50:50 in this region. The crops around Shepparton, Yarrawonga and Benalla are really good,” Mr Pogue said. “The other half, west of Shepparton down to Echuca and Rochester are going OK, but they are late and they have not had much rain at all.”

Near Colac, Larpent dairy farmer Phillip Harris received 10mm across the weekend, but rainfall totals were still well below average. He said a mild winter had helped pasture growth catch up, but more rain was needed.

Australian Fodder Industry Association executive ­officer Darren Keating said hay would be in high demand this year and a huge hay harvest was not expected.

Meanwhile, Gippsland and North East Victoria are sitting pretty.

In Gippsland, Welshpool dairy farmer Kelvin Jackson received 25.4mm Sunday and Monday.

Scott Francis, of Rutherglen, said dams were all full on his property. “We’re pretty happy with how it’s going this year,” he said.