Gooroc grain grower in need of rain to finish crops

Gooroc grain grower Neale Postlethwaite has had a mixed year and is hoping for one thing this week to turn things around.

Holding out hope: Neale Postlethwaite in his faba bean crop at Gooroc. After a good start, the area experienced a dry winter and more spring rain is needed to finish off crops. Picture: Zoe Phillips

GOOROC grain grower Neale Postlethwaite’s crops are at a point where a good downpour of rain is needed over the next week.

The grower, who produces wheat, barley, chick peas and beans, said he had a good start to the season, but a dry winter.

“Our winter tracked under average (for rainfall),”

“We had about 250mm for the growing season, which is below average,” Mr Postlethwaite said.

Gooroc grain grower Neale Postlewaite says while his crops are tracking OK, rain is needed over the next week. Picture: Zoe Phillips

For May, June and July, Mr Postlethwaite’s crops got about half their average rainfall, while August was average.

“We are at the point now where crops need one more good downpour of about 20mm to 30mm of rain,” he said.

A few falls were forecast a few weeks ago, Mr Postlethwaite said, but nothing came of them.

Crops were also hit with a few hot days late last week, he said.

However, Mr Postlethwaite said he was still having a good year.

“It is hard to say what yields would be at this stage, but they should be average or a bit below,” he said. “It will depend on the next few weeks.”

At the weekend, Mr Postlethwaite’s crops got a small sprinkle, with about 3mm of rain recorded.

“We are hoping for rain this week to finish crops off,” he said.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, St Arnaud, about 18km from Gooroc, received 4mm of rain on Monday, and 1mm at the start of the month. BOM figures showed the area received about 5mm last October.

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