In Mid Canterbury it’s a waiting game for sunshine as much of the harvest trails two weeks behind schedule while further north and south harvesting has hit full swing, albeit with some weather effects.
While harvesting of winter barley and early forage crops and peas was under way, the season for grasses, particularly on irrigated land, was running late, Federated Farmers arable vice-chairman Brian Leadley said.
“We are on the doorstep of cereal and grass to be done, we are just waiting for a window to get into it,” he said.
The cooler spring and a few showers since New Year had delayed harvest with farmers eagerly eyeing a few more clear days with sunshine.
“When we get that we will be moving rapidly into crunch time,” Leadley said.
While drying was an option for most cropping farmers it was early in the season to make that decision.
“We started in grass and had to pull out as at this stage it’s a bit early to be blocking the system (drying).”
It was a case of studying the weather.
“The weather pattern at the moment is very changeable and some of the southerlies that are whipping through are delivering showers but we are set to go once we get that window of suitable weather.”
Leadley said there were good reports of any harvesting that had been done.
“We are hearing of some good yields, particularly in dryland barley on good dirt up country so that’s encouraging.”
Farmers had made significant investment in drying equipment and on the whole it was shaping up to be a season where farmers, “while not happily”, would be looking to use driers, Leadley said.
One of the key challenges facing Mid Canterbury growers had been the control of disease.
Wind and rain had hampered crop spraying but despite that crops were looking “pretty damn good”.
“If we get some summer in February and March farmers will be happy and we should get a good harvest,” he said.
Mid Canterbury’s harvest scene had significantly changed from the years gone by when barley and wheat crops created a patchwork across the plains, to competition from small seeds.
Much of the latest change was due to the dairy downturn with less demand for cereal grain.
Leadley said while grain was moving there had been just a small lift in price with wheat and barley selling at an average $300 a tonne.
“There are no big prices but there is a wee bit of demand for early harvested grain for stock feed,” he said.
In North Canterbury harvest was in full swing and farmers were optimistic, following a warm winter and consistent late spring moisture, of a good harvest.
There was an air of confidence with wheat and barley crops looking particularly promising federation North Canterbury arable chairman Reuben Carter said.
“There had been some nervousness about the weather and there was good reason for that a couple of weeks back but we have got that sunshine and the north-westerly now and we’re in full swing,” he said.
“It’s looking to be a good harvest so far with the grain nice and healthy and some bloody good yields.”
On his Darfield property dryland barley had gone seven tonnes to the hectare but some farmers were up to eight tonnes.
“Our winter barley went 10 tonnes – there are some very exceptional cereal crops so far and also some good results coming in for peas.
Carter said it had been tough for farmers further north but a good window of sunshine now would ease the pressure.
“If we can get a good crack at it over the next couple of weeks we will make a good hole in it and make it all a lot more bearable,” Carter said.
Further south harvesters were adorning the countryside with harvest mostly on course, federation South Canterbury arable chairman Michael Porter said.
Crops had ripened slowly and were looking good but unfortunately were not performing as was expected, he said.
“The rainfall we wanted in November saw most of the moisture arrive on overcast drizzly days so the problem now is disease with yield and quality the issues.
“But it’s nothing unsurmountable and it’s still robust. There will be some exceptional results but there will also be some disappointments,” Porter said.
