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Dry spell could spark early harvest

Grain Harvesting - ABC

The WA Farmers Federation says this year's grain season could be cut short by as much as a month if the current dry conditions continue.

It has been unseasonally warm in the past couple of weeks and the Bureau of Meteorology says a weak cold front is forming, but says there will not be any significant rainfall for at least a week.

WA Farmers Federation spokesman Derek Clauson says after good rain in July, some parts of the Wheatbelt have received little rain since the beginning of August.

Mr Clauson says growers may be forced to begin harvesting their crops early if it does not rain in the next month.

"If we have a good wet finish, people mightn't get into their paddocks till November, but if the dry weather continues I think we'll all be in our paddocks a lot earlier than we'd want to be," he said.

"And that could mean some harvests would start very early November."

- ABC

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