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.
He said growers just weren’t expecting it to be this wet.
“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,” he said.
“It will be disappointing to lose some of the high potential we had earlier in the year.
“For other people this rain would be a blessing and just what they needed to finish crops off.”
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 Helen’s Plains farmer Keith Fischer said some of his wheat and barley crops were starting to go down.
“It’s concerning,” he said. “It is quite damp – 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 we should be able to manage it and at least we have crops to get diseases,” he said.
“Overall I’m happy with how things look.”
Brimpaen farmer Luke Dunn said there were a few crops down near Wonwondah, but 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.”
Mr Dunn said he hoped the weather cleared up soon.
Vectis farmer Vaugn Maroske said his paddocks were handling the water surprisingly well.
“We’ve already had our average growing season rainfall,” he said.
“The low patches are a bit wet, but most crops are looking good.”
