At Paul Bammonn’s Eyre Peninsula farm, dry conditions are taking a toll.
It’s a particularly windy day in South Australia, and he’s watching large clouds of brown dirt in the distance.
“To lose your topsoil, that’s where all your fertility comes from. That’s gone forever,” he tells SBS News.
The wheat producer isn’t alone in having a tough season.
Paul Bammonn is one South Australian farmer doing it tough this season. Source: SBS News
Dion Woolford runs sheep and grows grain near Kimba, on the northern Eyre Peninsula.
“We’re at a critical point in the season,” he says. “It needs to continue raining if we’re going to reap anything of significance.”
Tim Whetstone, South Australia's Minister for Primary Industries, says about 10 to 15 per cent of the state is now in drought.
“It’s dry and it’s very, very patchy,” he says.
Source: SBS News
Some farmers are faring better than others, with high grain prices bringing strong returns to those able to produce it. Some of the state’s crop will also head east where it’s in demand from other drought-stricken farmers.
Jared Sampson, at Warramboo, west of Kimba, says he feels fortunate compared to some.
“Grain prices are quite significant at the moment ... so while not a bumper harvest, we will have a harvest ... But it's very reliant on some finishing rains,” he says.
The South Australian government has set up a working group to monitor dry conditions across the state.
Mr Whetstone says the next six weeks will be critical for farmers:
“We’re looking at now, ground temperatures starting to warm up, which will promote growth, but we do need rain.”
