There is a bleak outlook for harvest this year, with many growers not getting the rain they need to hydrate their crops.
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A far cry from the weather last year, some farmers have seen little or no rain since sowing in March or April.
Landmark Agronomist Tim Broadhead said the outlook is not great for many in the Bogan Shire.
“Harvest outlook is not great. There are a lot of growers that may not harvest paddocks at all if no rain in next few weeks,” he said on Monday.
“There are already cases of paddocks being completely written off either sprayed out or stock put on.”
Mr Broadhead said the area as a whole looks similar although there are some spots that have fared better than others.
“The year will be well below average yield wise. Any paddocks that were long fallowed last year certainly stand out this year with the extra stored moisture,” he said.
There won’t be a reprieve in the coming days either with Mr Broadhead saying the forecast shows no rain over the coming week.
“The weather forecast doesn’t show much in next 10 days. Frosts followed by warm windy days certainly don’t help the situation,” he said.
Despite the bleak outlook, Mr Broadhead said most growers are generally looking to the future.
“The mood is still generally good and most growers are looking forward and hoping for a break in next few weeks. It is not all doom and gloom there are still plenty of paddocks with potential to produce some decent yields,” he said.
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said there had been a record dry July in some areas across NSW.
DPI’s Ian McGowen said July rainfall was below average across 71 per cent of the state.
“Prospects for summer cropping in northern NSW continue to decline, with many areas of the north-west having limited subsoil moisture reserves,” he said.