Another wet week for southern Queensland has poured more pain onto sorghum growers, but it's perfectly timed for winter cereal planting.
The patchy 15 millimetres to 60mm that fell across the western and central Darling Downs last week will further delay sorghum harvest.
The abnormally wet April weather has resulted in widespread sprouting on across sorghum crops in southern Queensland and northern NSW.
Most of the Darling Downs has seen upwards of 80mm of rain in April on sorghum crops that were ripe, and on the verge of harvest. Heavy rain in across northern NSW has resulted in similar quality problems.
Cereal plantings will start in earnest across southern Queensland and northern NSW with ANZAC Day seen as the green light for the planting window.
Most of Australia's winter cropping areas are still waiting for the traditional autumn break.
Dry weather concerns set to build in May, with extended forecasts offering no reprieve.
Western Australia is off to a dry start to the 2024 cropping season having seen little to no April rainfall. Most of WA's cropping areas have received limited rain since October, leaving soil moisture levels very low.
Many farmers in Western Australia have started dry planting early crops as they wait for rain. Dry starts in WA are not necessarily a precursor to a poor season, but it certainly offering additional production concerns.
GIWA is forecasting similar grain plantings in WA for 2024 but said this may change if the dry weather persists. Growers in the northern and eastern areas may to fallow more land if the dry weather continues into May, they said.
South Australia and much of Victoria are also looking for rain to kick off the 2024 winter cropping season.
Some early crops have been planted in Victoria following early April showers through the Wimmera, but soil moisture has since disappeared given the scant rain through February and March. Dry planting is also underway throughout the Mallee and other parts of the state are expected to follow in the coming weeks.
South Australia also remains dry having seen limited April rainfall and a generally dry start to the year.
Domestic grain markets are finding support with the dry weather concerns across larger areas of Australia as buyers chase supplies and grower selling become increasingly cautious.
These tensions will intensify if the dry weather continues through May.
