STATE grain production may suffer as some of SA's most productive areas experience a wet drought with rainfall totalling more than 200 millimetres in the past two months.
Significant areas of cropping land on the lower Eyre Peninsula and Mid North have been affected by waterlogging and nitrogen deficiency.
But other areas of the state, such as the upper South East need good falls to top up the soil moisture profile.
Carr's Seeds agronomist Denis Pedler, Cummins, said it was one of the wettest years the district had ever seen.
"A lot of farmers are saying they've never seen water lying in areas (like) this year," he said.
"While we had a dry start, June and July has been much wetter than usual.
"It's meant aeroplanes have been kept extra busy putting out urea."
Mr Pedler said there was yellowing and damage evident in paddocks from lack of nitrogen and waterlogging.
Beet western yellows virus has been confirmed in the area, but because the disease hit later in the season, it is not expected to cause the massive crop losses seen in the Mid and Lower North.
Bordertown agronomist Nathan Tink said that while there had been good rainfall during the past five weeks, more would not go astray.
"Wheat and beans through this district are looking as good as they ever have," he said.
"But it definitely hasn't been too wet, because we missed out on some of the early rainfall.
"We've been getting between 10-15mm every week for the past five weeks, but we're still not at the full soil moisture profile.
"But everyone's confidence is a lot higher than it was six weeks ago, in the middle of June."
BWYV had been confirmed in canola crops in the district.
"It's been confirmed in samples from Kaniva and here at Bordertown," Mr Tink said.
"Our biggest worry is if it gets into faba bean crops. We're a big faba bean growing area, so we're really hoping that doesn't happen."
Consultant Peter Cousins, Crystal Brook, said that overall the season was shaping up quite well.
NAB general manager of agribusiness Khan Horne says his team of bankers are reporting the optimism of customers across SA, WA and the Riverina in NSW.
"After a long and hot summer, decent autumn rainfall across many wheat growing regions has improved growers' yield expectations," he said.
* Full report in Stock Journal, July 31, 2014 issue.
Paula Thompson
Stock Journal's markets editor.
Stock Journal's markets editor.
