STRONG winds and isolated frost incidents have taken some of the shine off the State's expected bumper crop.
Winds reached up to 93 kilometres per hour at Cleve on the EP last week, blowing heads off some grain crops, while the Mallee has again been hit by frost around Karoonda.
West Coast cropper Brenton Bergmann, who was the first person in SA to deliver grain to Viterra's storage and handling system this season, said harvest was going well in his district.
While other farmers on the West Coast have already finished harvest, or are getting very close to it, he is just over halfway through.
Mr Bergmann farms in a very early district, 20 kilometres north of Ceduna, and has been the first to deliver to the system in the past, but more than 20 years ago.
"I reapt oats three weeks ago and the yields were all above average," he said.
"I'm reaping wheat now and yields have been very good, but quality is a bit up and down, with a bit of screenings and the protein has been varied.
"The whole district is having a well above average season. There's been a bit of frost around the place, but it hasn't been really bad, like on the middle of the EP."
Agsave agronomist Hayden Whitwell, Kimba, said there was some barley being harvested at the moment, and pea crops were also close to ready.
"The heads of some crops were on the ground after the very strong winds last week," he said.
"Early barley crops have been going 2 tonnes to the hectare to 3t/ha and F1, so it's been very good for the area, so far.
"I think a few guys will find paddocks have been frosted when they put the header in."
Mid North-based independent consultant Peter Cousins said recent weather conditions had taken some of the shine off the district's crops.
"It's very early days of harvest, but there's been a bit started north of Port Pirie," he said.
"We have had small pockets of frost, and there's been varying degrees of severity. It's been more Jamestown way than anywhere else.
"We've had a few days with really bad winds and a relatively dry August and September and that's taken off about 1t/ha of yield potential.
"We were sitting at decile 10 rainfall, but it's now dropped back to decile 8 to 9."
Mr Cousins said depending on the weather, harvest was set to begin in earnest in the region towards the end of next week.
According to Viterra's first weekly harvest report of the season, just over 37,000 tonnes has been received so far.
Thevenard and Penong have received the majority of the state's receivals.
Shipping is occurring through the Port Lincoln terminal. This will move grain from Viterra's upcountry sites, creating additional storage for grower receivals.
The Yorke Peninsula has received a small number of loads of barley into the Wallaroo terminal. Receivals are expected to be delayed by rain over the weekend.
Last week, two vessels loaded out of Wallaroo and one out of Port Giles, increasing Viterra's storage in the region for the harvest period.
Receivals in the Northern Area have been limited to Pt Pirie and Crystal Brook, as the sites begin to receive deliveries of barley and peas. Tonnages are expected to increase as crops continue to ripen from the warmer weather.
Harvest is yet to start in the Murray Mallee and South East.
SA is expected to produce 918,900 tonnes of hay from 216,900 hectares, according to the latest PIRSA crop and pasture report. Overall, SA is estimated to produce 8.7mt from 4.06mha.
* Full report in Stock Journal, October 17 issue, 2013.
