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Late rains bring farming confidence

Friday, June 5, 2009

Late Autumn rains have helped South Australian farmers sow more than four million hectares of crops – slightly above the five year average.

The rain has given farmers a confident start to the season, with 80 per cent of all winter crops now in the ground, according to the latest PIRSA Crop and Pasture Report.

The May report, compiled by Rural Solutions SA, says the initial estimate of crop production is 6.26 million tonnes.

Total crop area is 4.02 million hectares, with plantings of wheat, oats, chickpeas, lentils and canola up on last year, while barley and lupins is down.

Report author Peter Fulwood said following the opening rains at the end of April farmers were able to get seeding underway during the first half of May in mostly very good conditions and around the optimum time.

“Seeding operations slowed in some areas as the month progressed due to lack of good follow-up rainfall, however patchy falls late in the month enabled most farmers to continue seeding in ideal conditions, and most have now finished,” he said.

“Crops are starting to emerge, but are slightly patchy on some parts of Eyre Peninsula and the Upper North, where crops were sown into more marginal soil.

“Pastures are also looking good, with early sown feed crops generally establishing well and are already being grazed.”

The full report will be available this afternoon at www.pir.sa.gov.au/cropreport.