Sowing not significantly slowed for southwest grain growers

A southwest grain grower is tracking well with sowing this season, despite a downpour of rain last week.

Step ahead: Stewart Hamilton at his Inverleigh farm, where most of the paddocks were cropped early. Picture: Chloe Smith

A DOWNPOUR last week did not alter sowing programs significantly for grain growers in Victoria’s southwest who got crops in the ground early.

Inverleigh grain grower Stewart Hamilton, who produces wheat, barley and canola, said he had had an early break this season and got most of his crops on wet country in early, but rain caused sowing to slow and come to a halt for a few days.

“We slowed and stopped for about two days and have been spraying,” he said.

“We are picking our battles. We got most of our wet country in first because of the early break as we knew it would only get wetter.”

Mr Hamilton said his crops received more rain this year than last, gaining about 25mm in the past week.

“But in this area when it is dry it is good, so last year we were in a slightly better position as it wasn’t as wet for sowing,” he said.

“Some of our paddocks on light ground are waterlogged as well as those on heavier black soil.”

But Mr Hamilton said about 700ha of his property was on raised beds and he was still trafficking most of it.

According to WesternAG director Philip Hawker, about 80-90 per cent of crops had been sown in the area.

“Farmers have embraced early sowing again,” Mr Hawker said.

Much more rainfall fell on crops this year than last, Mr Hawker said, with southwest growers recording about 250-350mm for the season.

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“We had significant rain over summer this season whereas last year we had no rain until May,” he said.

“This year there is more moisture in programs and herbicides are working well.”

From a pricing point of view, Mr Hawker said wheat and canola were holding up well, with some growers forward-selling the grain.