Dion Woolford’s crops on the Eyre Peninsula best in living memory

After 30-50mm of rain crops on SA’s Eyre Peninsula are shaping up to be the best growers have ever seen. Dion Woolford shares his story.

Farmers on the Eyre Peninsula say 2022 is shaping up to be their best year for crops in living memory.

Mixed farmer Dion Woolford, who farms 7000ha of wheat, barley, vetch and beans at Kimba, said his family has never seen anything like the 2022 season.

His property was drenched with 200mm of rainfall in January, which set up soil moisture on the normally “marginal” country for a bountiful year.

“It’s been out of the box,” Mr Woolford said.

“(Yields this year) could be at least double average, almost three times average.”

Average yields on the property were 1.2 to 1.5 tonnes to the hectare for wheat and barley, but this year had three-tonne potential, Mr Woolford said.

“It’s a bit of a relief to be able to sit back and enjoy it. The last five years have been pretty dicey,” he said.

Dion Woolford says crops on the Eyre Peninsula are looking better than he has ever seen them. Picture: Supplied

After a wet year in 2016, the Eyre Peninsula property had very low rainfall in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and average years in 2017 and 2021.

The 2021 season was marred by a late 100mm of rain, which caused grain to sprout and led to widespread downgrades.

“After the January rain, we were fairly confident we would make budget, which was nice to think at that time of the year,” he said.

“Now we should be well over. It’s not very often that both yield and prices are at record levels together.”

Roanne and Gareth Scholz's record wheat crop. Picture: Roanne Scholz

“The most crazy thing this year is that the season has been consistently good from east to west to south on the Eyre Peninsula. Normally there is a pocket that doesn’t get a good season, but this year everyone is getting it,” Mr Woodford said.

Average annual rainfall at Kimba is 346mm. So far this year has already surpassed that total, with 488mm in the gauge.

Last week Mr Woolford’s property received another 30mm to 50mm of rain.

“It is great for the crop to stay wetter for longer,” he said.

Further north at Minnipa, Roanne and Gareth Scholz said their wheat and lentils were looking “phenomenal” after 295mm of rain for the year.

“We had a really good opening rain and the rain has been really well timed,” Roanne said.

“The old farmers are saying they’ve never seen anything like it in their lifetime.”