Storm clouds over Benalla late on Friday, December 6. A wet end to spring and damp start for summer has affected the region’s crops. See page 5 for a wrap-up of spring weather. Photo: Rene Martens
Photo by
Rene Martens
RenSmart Photography
Recent heavy rain has impacted the 2024 wheat harvest with some yields, quality and protein levels lower than hoped for as farmers managed their harvest around the weekend’s downpour.
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The rain is also expected to reduce the cherry harvest across northern Victoria.
Despite cautiously optimistic reports of a decent grain season, not all areas of the Goulburn Valley had begun their harvest.
However, Invergordon grower Eddie Rovers finished his wheat harvest on Friday, December 6 and said the recent rain ‘wasn’t great’.
“There was only slight damage, but we would be going H1/H2 with 12.5-plus per cent protein,” Mr Rovers said.
“We probably lost fifty bucks a ton, getting a yield of 3.2 tonne per hectare.”
Invergordon received 61.8mm between Saturday, November 30 and Tuesday, December 3.
Mr Rivers said his lower canola yield was not as bad as for other farmers.
“Canola got around 2.6 here, but for some other growers, I am hearing they only reached one tonne per hectare.
“They were sown a little later or more west of the highway.”
Hunters Rural commodity trader Cameron Fullager said the first indication of the Goulburn Valley’s crop yield made yield forecasts difficult with a lot of people ‘just getting going’ in the Goulburn Valley and north-east Victoria.
“We are just starting to get the first indication of wheat coming off,” Mr Fullager said.
“It is being harvested on the lighter, sandy country so it’s a very small sample size.
“But it seems the wheat’s held up reasonably well.
“A lot of wheat was high quality before the rain, but we obviously need a bigger sample.”
Mr Fullager said it would be another week before harvesting began on the more clay soil areas.
“The heavy country has more moisture, so the humidity rises up through the crop.”
Farmers have also struggled with accessing paddocks due to the wet conditions, with some unable to collect field bins already filled with grain from harvesting before the rain.
“That’s why they are going into lighter country so there is no fear of being bogged,” Mr Fullager said.
Many farmers have held off harvesting before the rain due to the crop not being ripe enough.
“But on the whole it was then ready and then the rain put paid to everything.”
Mr Rivers said the rain had been poorly timed.
“We could have done with that rain three or four months ago,” he said.
“It would be a totally different story now.”
Much of the Goulburn Valley’s wheat crops were almost ready for harvest when heavy rain arrived on Saturday, November 30.
Photo by
Geoff Adams
Mr Fullager said it was too early to determine prices.
“From everyone’s perspective it is a case of wait and see until we get as big a sample as possible to see what quantity of each quality comes in.
“That will start to determine price.
“If we don’t get rain in the next week, then we’ll get a really good run at it.”
Cherry lovers can be assured there will be some cherries available for Christmas, although there may be a reduced supply due to heavy rain storms earlier this month.
Fruit Growers Victoria grower services manager Michael Crisera said some cherry crops had been impacted by the heavy rain and higher humidity resulting in splitting in the fruit.
He said there was likely to be a reduced cherry harvest in northern Victoria this season.
More rain fell across the region late on Friday, December 6.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast dry and warm weather for this week.
