WIMMERA farmers are hoping wet weather will soon clear up, as water-logged paddocks continue to put crop potential at risk.
Rupanyup farmer and Grain Producers Australia chairman Andrew Weidemann said yield loss from diseases and water damage was a real concern.
“A lot of growers are concerned about diseases, as many people haven’t been able to complete their fungicide program because of the weather,” he said.
“It could be an ironic outcome after the years we have been through, but the moisture we get today will stay in the soil and help crops next year too.
“It will be disappointing to lose some of the high potential we had earlier in the year.”
Mr Weidemann said crops on lighter country would struggle in parts of the Wimmera.
He said on his farm, crops were looking okay at the moment.
“There are a few paddocks with water logging and that will start to have an impact if this weather continues,” he said.
St Helens Plains farmer Keith Fischer said some of his wheat and barley crops were starting to fall down.
“It’s concerning,” he said. “We’ve had 95 millimetres so far for September.
“But we are still in a better position than last year.”
Mr Fischer said he hoped warmer weather later in the week would help dry paddocks.
“It’s going to get up to 20 degrees, which could mean diseases, but at least we have crops to get diseases,” he said.
“Overall I’m happy with how things look.”
Wonwondah farmer Peter Velthuis said farmers now desperately needed about three to four days of fine weather, yet there was more rain on the way.
“My compass barley has fallen over – we will have to wait and see what harvest brings with that in terms of yields,” he said.
“Commander barley is okay, and wheat and canola are up and about.
“Overall we are looking very good, we are above average and we can’t whinge too much.”
Brimpaen farmer Luke Dunn said his early sown paddocks were still looking good.
“However, the barley, which was sown last, is really patchy,” he said.
“It is suffering from water logging and it will be sitting in water for some time, so I’m not sure how it will pull through. Overall the later sown crops will struggle.”
