Weather News

Crops get rainfall 'top-up'

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says steady soaking rain across the Goulburn Murray is having the desired effect on crops.

The DPI says areas west of Shepparton that have been struggling with limited rainfall have now been thrown a lifeline.

Dale Grey is a DPI agronomist from Cobram and says the winter break is giving thirsty crops just what they need.

He says some areas have been particularly dry.

"Certainly been dry in some of the western areas of north-east Victoria, so west of the line from Cobram to Shepparton things have been struggling along and really needed a top-up, the areas further eastwards, a lot of those areas had the higher rainfall in summer," he said.

Meanwhile, the New South Wales DPI says rain across the Riverina and locations like Jerilderie, Deniliquin and Moama could not have come at a better time.

DPI agronomist John Fowler says for crops like canola it is too late but cereal crops and stockfeed will benefit.

"Not enough to finish the job for use but without it we were finished in a sense," he said.

"It also brings a bit of hope to the stock owners, a lot of those had started hand feeding already and this rain won't generate any useful feed for four or five weeks but at least but it gives them the promise of some spring growth.

"It's in the nick of time, any later and it would have been too late."


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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