Australia: Out west rain is wanted ahead of harvest to put smiles on farmers' dials

BB Harvesting co-founder Leigh Burke said their October harvesting at Toobeah could potentially record their highest yields since 2016. Picture: Sam Fag An arid winter and a dry start to spring has farmers out west anxiously watching the skies as they hope for rain to help finish off their crops ahead of harvesting next month. While parts of the state's south east are predicted to have some light showers over the next few days, farmers with rain gauges west of Toowoomba could miss out. According to agronomists, some Darling Downs growers said they are pinning their hopes on a rain band being pushed their way. Although reports from the Bureau of Meteorology that October to December rainfalls could be above average may be too little, too late. Jacob Thuijs, an agronomist for Nutrien at St George, said the later winter heatwave impacted the biomass of crops and rain was needed to fall soon. Picture: Supplied Nutrien St George agronomist Jacob Thuijs said in general the dryland crops ...