Western District resumes grain harvest after wet weather

Growers in the Western District are back harvesting their bumper crops after recent wet weather. Here’s what yields are reaching.

Back on track: Caramut growers Kirsten and Gerard Diprose, pictured with their Jack Russell Georgie, are back harvesting after stopping a few weeks ago due to rain. Picture: ZOE PHILLIPS

HARVEST  is back in full swing for Western District farmers after recent wet weather forced it to come to a halt.

Gorst Rural director Cam Conboy said about 20mm to 120mm of rain fell a few weeks ago around Lake Bolac. “But growers were back into it on the weekend, as they got some cool mild weather after rain,” Mr Conboy said.

He said areas that were under big thunderstorms – such as patches east of Lake Bolac and east of Tatyoon and others that had 120mm of rain were boggy.

“Growers in those spots have to pick where they are going,” he said. “Some headers and chaser bins got bogged from water logging.”

He said the downpour had caused some quality loss, but most wheat would still make Australian Premium White or Australian Standard White grades.

All canola in the area has now been harvested, Mr Conboy said, and barley was 90 per cent complete.

“However no storage sites are receiving it (barley) anymore, so growers are turning to harvesting wheat and storing barley on farm,” he said.

And yields in the area had been “phenomenal” this year, exceeding last year’s above average volumes.

“Wheat should yield seven to nine tonnes a hectare,” Mr Conboy said. “The long term average of wheat is about five tonnes a hectare.”

For Caramut growers Gerard and Kirsten Diprose — who produce 700ha of crops — headers were back up and running at the weekend, after receiving about 30mm of rain a few weeks ago. “We were lucky, some places got 200mm,” Mr Diprose said.

The growers have just finished harvesting canola, which was a late season variety, and wheat will start this week.

“Canola yields should reach about 3.7 tonnes a hectare which is above average,” he said.

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