BY comparison to last year’s regional crops, a greater area was damaged by wet weather this year, according to the Primary Industries November report for the region.
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Where the rain fell harvest was interrupted, with farmers trying to recommence usually two to three days after falls of less than 10mm.
Some growers have finished harvest north of Gilgandra with other growers between Gilgandra and Dubbo predicted to be finished in the next few days, if they are not already.
In some locations around Collie, where there were some storms in late October and early November, only 50 to 60 per cent of the area have been harvested.
South of Dubbo is more variable but it is estimated 65 per cent or more of the crop has been harvested.
Approximately 50 per cent of the barley crop was harvested before the widespread rainfall that occurred in late November.
Compared to last year, rain came earlier this season, combined with a much slower dry down of crops. The storm activity and high humidity has seen most growers with much less of their crops harvested before the rain compared to last year.
And the wet weather is predicted to continue with higher than average rainfall into early next year.
The probability of December 2011 to February 2012 exceeding the long term median rainfall for central western NSW varies between 50 and 65 per cent.€€
