Cautious is the current vibe in the northern agricultural zone.
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That is according to Geraldton-based Agrarian Management consultants Craig Topham and Bindi Isbister.
"Some people have made a start to seeding, but no one is going too flat out yet," Mr Topham said.
"Everyone is a bit cautious.
"It is still hovering at about 40 degrees Celsius around Mullewa and you don't want seed sitting in hot soil for too long."
Mr Topham said it was unlikely all canola programs in the northern Wheatbelt would be sown dry.
He said many growers would sit back and wait, and if it didn't rain well into May there may be less canola and lupins planted across the region.
"Some people have started on their wheat programs, but if it doesn't rain soon they will probably pull-up after a week or so," Mr Topham said.
He said the northern Wheatbelt had not recorded any rain to date for 2024 and had only had 12 millimetres since August/September.
"I have dug down one metre in some paddocks and not found wet soil," Mr Topham said.
"It is one of the driest soil profiles we have experienced."
Mr Topham said 2024 may not be a disaster, it would - obviously - depend on how the season rolled out from here.
"We have spent little on summer weed spraying, so costs have been quite low," he said.
"We will now just keep monitoring for a more favourable weather pattern.
"It will come down to risk management from here on in."
Ms Isbister said her clients around Badgingarra and Eneabba had been holding off seeding given the forecast for no rain in the next two weeks.
"But they will probably get going this week with some dry seeding," Ms Isbister said.
"We haven't had any rain since February.
"Some farms have received up to 50mm for the year to date and some have received nothing."
Mr Topham said a positive trend this season was an abundance of workers seeking seeding jobs.
"I am seeing a lot of young people and backpackers coming back into the market," he said.
"Everyone has their full allotment of staff and some have spares.
"It is a nice turnaround from the past couple of years of worker shortages.
"Now, if we could just get rid of the flies..."
