CARR’S Seeds agronomist Denis Pedler says the season has turned around dramatically in the past six weeks on the Lower Eyre Peninsula.
Mr Pedler said the Cummins district received a very handy 60 millimetres to 70mm last week.
“Since the start of July, our season really turned around,” he said.
“We had an average start, with limited sub-soil moisture after very little early rainfall. Crops were struggling until early July.”
While July was good for rainfall, there had not been major events, just 10mm here and there to keep crops going, which meant limited sub-soil moisture. But, last week’s falls will go a long way to boosting the soil profile.
Mr Pedler said there was a bit more hay being grown on the Lower EP this season, on the back of high livestock prices.
“There’s a bit less Clearfield canola in, as seed was difficult to get this year,” he said.
“There hadn’t been many chickpeas grown in this area before, but more croppers are looking at it as a legume option, despite the Indian tariff situation.
“There’s a fraction more barley gone in, because the price has been so strong and it’s a good, competitive crop against ryegrass. Some farmers have also grown more feed barley simply for stock feed.”
Mr Pedler said last week’s falls meant croppers were able to get on with some final urea applications.