CROPPERS across south-eastern Australia will enter the season with optimism, following a near textbook opening break.
Widespread swathes of South Australia, Victoria and southern NSW have received rainfall of 30-50mm in the past week.
Interestingly, the low rainfall Mallee zones of the three states have generally fared slightly better.
The Woomelang – Lascelles district in the Victorian central Mallee receiving over 100mm last Thursday and many districts receiving over 50mm with good rain on both last Thursday and Monday.
The story is less rosy in northern NSW, where NSW Farmers Association grains committee chair Rebecca Reardon said farmers were still waiting for autumn rain.
“There’s reasonable subsoil moisture there, but people are certainly waiting for some opening rain.”
In Victoria, president of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) David Jochinke said the rain had been near ideal.
“We generally talk about starting the cropping program around Anzac Day and this rain will allow farmers to do this.”
He said the sowing season proper was yet to commence.
“There has been some canola go in dry, but given we had such a late finish to harvest, a lot of people are still getting their arrangements in order.”
Vectis, west of Horsham, cropper Vaughn Maroske has tipped out 44mm out of the rain gauge in the past week, with 35mm on Thursday and 9mm Monday.
He said it was an ideal break.
“It is nice and early, it will allow us to get a good knockdown and give the selective herbicides a break.”
He said he planned to do some spraying before starting the cropping program some time early next week.
With the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecasting a potential El Niño weather event, consistent with drier condition, Mr Maroske said the rain had calmed nerves for Victorian farmers.
“Once we get a rain of this magnitude, we are reasonably well set up for the winter, we won’t need a lot of rain to keep things ticking along.”
“Obviously we’ll need spring rain, but an early break gives the crop every chance, it allows them to use every drop of moisture.”