Grain farmers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland are facing lengthy harvest delays, downgraded crops and flooding as La Niña continues to top up saturated soils.
Victorian grain grower and Grain Producers Australia Southern Director, Andrew Weidemann, said this year’s crop was on a knife’s edge and with more rain forecast, the losses will only escalate.
Mr Weidemann said that due to the severe weather conditions, many growers were still unable to get out and inspect their paddocks and assess the impact of serious flooding events in Victoria and NSW.
However, he said there are disastrous impacts already, with many growers expecting significant loss of crop value and yields. He urged state and federal governments to continue working together with industry, to help provide immediate and longer term support with recovery efforts, where needed.
Grain harvest underway in WA and SA
GPA Chair and West Australian grain grower Barry Large said growers in Western Australia and South Australia were not facing the same seasonal challenges, and were looking at record grain crops with harvest underway.
But he said their thoughts were also with their east coast farming cousins and the serious challenges they’re facing harvesting a delivering grain over coming weeks.
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