October 10th, 2024Region’s canola growers hoping for rain

Just the right amount of rainfall is the vital ingredient for which the region’s canola growers are hoping.    

Farmers Jodie and Tim Barry of Ullina said rain would make all the difference between prices for the eye-catching crop which has transformed a notable slice of the region’s landscape with bright swathes of gold.    

The farmers are among an increasing number of producers who have been turning to the crop in recent times.

They currently have 260 acres planted out to canola and their crop was in the process of podding up when they talked to The Local last week.

“We are in desperate need of rain and if we could manage an inch it would be good. The critical time is now,” Tim said.

“Without it a lot of crops could end up not finishing and might even have to be cut for hay.    

“We’d expect 3.2 tonnes to the hectare but without rain we might be looking at two tonnes to the hectare, and at $700 a tonne it’s a big difference.”    

Jodie and Tim are among growers who are feeling for the plight of those located further to the west and north where farmers have been contending with alarmingly dry conditions and also highly destructive frosts.    

“We’re in a really good spot here and I feel sorry for the people up north,” Jodie said.

“The (seed) pods are already forming now and we’ll be looking at harvesting in November or December. Depending on the quality it will end up either for human consumption, being used for things like cooking oils, or for animal feed.”    

The Barrys have been growing canola for the past four years and so far have done well enough to keep investing in it.

“There definitely does seem to be a lot more farmers around here getting into it. But with canola it’s hit and miss,” Jodie says.    

“I do love the colour, how beautiful it is and how it changes the landscape.”    

Tim and Jodie’s neighbour, Jock Leishman, has 400 acres planted out to canola and agrees that timely rain now will make all the difference.    

“We potentially have the best canola crop in now that we’ve had for 10 years,” Jock said.

“But we need to keep getting some reasonable rain and given that we now don’t have much sub-soil moisture we ideally need to be getting about 20 mm every fortnight for the next month.”

Words: Eve Lamb