After three tough years, growers are in for a reward with good prices and strong demand.

Opening prices have not yet been released but are expected to be at least $5 a kilogram.

Tintinara producer Allan Manning is preparing to start harvesting his 60 hectares of dryland crops next week.

"We've never had a harvest start so early before," he said.

"It's quite incredible to be starting harvest now, it's normally the end of February before we get going, and often the start of March."

Mr Manning said it was a tough season for dryland lucerne.

"It was a brilliant winter, but then after early spring we ran out of moisture," he said.

"I think it shows what an incredible plant lucerne is, to go without rain for so many months, and for it still to yield seed is quite an accomplishment."

Lucerne Australia executive officer Nicola Raymond said dryland lucerne yields were likely to be down, due to lack of summer rain.

"For dryland lucerne, it's going to be an extremely early start to harvest," she said.

"Obviously the weather has had a significant impact on the timing of harvest, after hardly any significant rainfall in November or December."

Ms Raymond said irrigated lucerne seed producers, however, were set for a better year.

"The start of harvest for irrigated lucerne growers appears to be relatively consistent with other years," she said.

"It's been a fairly good season for them, with the hot weather. A lot of lucerne around the Keith district is in full flower now."

Ms Raymond said a good season could not come too soon for lucerne seed growers.

"Worldwide demand for lucerne seed is giving growers some confidence," she said.

"But, it's been a few really tough years in this district."

In 2010, a supply-demand imbalance saw prices drop to as low as $2.20 a kilogram. Then in 2011, growers achieved only a quarter to a half of normal yields.