Cautious start as clear skies loom

Many growers have pulled their machinery into paddocks over the past fortnight but are in no rush to get seed in the ground, with desired breaking rains nowhere in sight.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s senior climatologist Glenn Cook, while a weak front could make its way to parts of the South West this week, it was unlikely rain would reach inland parts of the grainbelt.

“A significant high pressure system will move over the southwest later in the week and over the weekend keeping skies clear,” Mr Cook said.

“Maximum temperatures are expected to be mostly in the high teens to mid-20s over the next week as onshore winds bring generally mild conditions, however temperatures are likely to rise next week as the high moves eastward and winds tend northeasterly.”

With the exception of a few who benefited from isolated thunderstorms that dropped up to 150 millimetres, most farmers in the Geraldton region have been dealing with dusty seeding conditions.

Planfarm agronomist Nick McKenna said about 50 per cent of growers in the region had started their seeding programs at the beginning of this week.

“For those that have started, it’s probably more out of necessity than a desire to get things out of the ground,” Mr McKenna said.

“It’s very dry, I haven’t seen any crops out of the ground yet.”

Despite the lack of moisture, Mr McKenna said the lacklustre conditions were yet to result in any changes to cropping programs.

He said growers remained hopeful for a fruitful season, with the average break in the Geraldton region not until later this month.

“People are aware of the history, the average break is the 21st of May so I think they’re happy to have a bit of faith,” Mr McKenna said.

“I think if people haven’t put canola in and it’s still dry in three or four weeks time they might drop canola out of the system but I think people are fairly keen to hang onto their rotations if they can.

“There hasn’t been a marked shift as far as I can tell out of wheat into other crops and I don’t know of anyone that’s trying to increase their sheep numbers.”

Further south in the Kwinana Zone, conditions are much the same in the Dalwallinu area, despite an isolated thunderstorm dropping up to 5mm of rain in some parts two weeks ago.

Liebe Group research agronomist and co-ordinator Alana Hartley said the dry conditions were yet to lead to any major cropping changes, and the majority of growers were cautiously chipping away at their canola programs.

“If they haven’t finished their canola program they’re likely to be 75 per cent of the way through and then most will be on to their lupins and barley, so it seems to be progressing quite well despite the lack of rain,” Ms Hartley said.

“The start is so similar to last year, and although they haven’t necessarily cut their programs back yet, many will be sitting on the sidelines with the start of the wheat program.

“With wheat prices having fallen away in recent weeks, this may potentially reduce confidence to sow the full program until we receive rain.

“Although they had a difficult start last year, those further south of Dalwallinu had quite a reasonable finish, so I think they’re more confident to just get in and get it done, so I haven’t seen anyone change to their programs just yet.”

Wet weather has also evaded the Albany zone which has only received 40-60mm this year.

Elders senior agronomist James Bee said while 5-15mm fell on some properties a fortnight ago, there was only patchy soil moisture available.

“On the whole it’s very dry, there’s a little bit of soil moisture in some stubble paddocks but it’s a bit variable,” Mr Bee said.

“There’s few guys in the very high rainfall areas along the South Coast that got very wet over the past two years so a dry year for them would be very good but on the other side we’ve got a lot of pasture and a lot of livestock in the area too, and they are getting fed around the clock.”

Mr Bee said some farmers in the region had already pulled canola out of their programs, a trend he expected to continue if paddocks remained dry.

He said while it was too early for growers to be too concerned by the conditions, there were plenty of questions being raised about how to best approach the season.

“It has been a bit of a more traditional old school summer for a lot of the guys, but they’re dealing with a lot lower moisture status than they’re used to at this time of year,” Mr Bee said.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of people having discussions about whether they’re doing the right thing or not.”

Lake Grace farmer Ed Naisbett started his 5500 hectare program on April 17, sowing lupins.

Mr Naisbett said he hoped to have all his crop in the ground by the third week of April.

“We’ve added a little bit more to the program this year and hopefully we get the crops away well,” he said.

“Last year the moisture had gone by April 20 and germinations were poorer after that, so this year all we can do is wait.

“The rain will come when it comes.”

Meantime in the Esperance zone, farmers are looking for about 20mm of moisture to get seeding into full swing.

Farm and General senior agronomist Andrew Heinrich said while some in the region started scratching in their programs as early as March 21, most growers have been steadily chipping away since April 10.

“Quite a few people have started but we’re waiting for more follow up rain to actually get things going properly because most people are now dry seeding,” Mr Heinrich said.

“I think maybe about a quarter to a third of the program is already in, the vast majority of people are just going gently at the moment, with most starting on canola.

“With the finish we had last year, we came out pretty good so as a general feeling people aren’t nervous at this point in time but if it goes for another three or four weeks, that will be a totally different ball game.”

Mr Heinrich said growers were sticking to their rotations, with a slight increase in lentil plantings expected this year to combat protein, weed and disease issues and provide a profitable break crop.