Mixed Outlook for SA Grain Producers as Crops Push Through Spring

South Australian grain growers are cautiously optimistic this spring, with recent rainfall keeping crops alive despite lingering drought pressures. 

Speaking on The Country Viewpoint on FlowFM, CEO of Grain Producers SA Brad Perry said the upcoming season was still “a picture of hope" for many producers.

“We’ve had rainfall in many areas when we needed it, so crops are still growing," he said.

"There’s a long way to go, but hopefully we can get close to an average crop."

Brad also reminded the public to admire canola fields from the roadside only, after reports of people climbing fences to take photos among the crops came through at the start of September.

"Due to the drought there's actually a lot less canola in the ground this year than usual, but coming into spring you're still going to see plenty of blooming yellow fields as the crops start to flower," he said.

"It's really an amazing spectacle to see and great for a photo, but people just need to stay on the other side of the fence. We're so happy for you to enjoy the beautiful canola crop as a backdrop for a photo, but we need to stay on the roadside in a safe area and not jump into the crop itself because it can cause potential biosecurity issues and also you may hurt yourself."

In recent weeks, GPSA has also launched a new policy committee, made up of seven producers from across the state.

“It gives us another layer of advice to ground-truth the policies we put forward,” Brad said. “We’re expecting robust discussions on the issues that matter most to growers.” 

Brad also recently attended the National Drought Forum in Gawler, alongside a large group of industry representatives as well as state and federal politicians.

“It was a good discussion, but the takeaway for me was we’ve still got a lot of work to do on drought preparation, response and recovery,” he said, noting that many farmers are still dealing with the financial fallout of drought.

“Whether it’s crop drought or financial drought, recovery is going to take time,” he said. 

Looking ahead, he encouraged growers to attend the Yorke Peninsula Field Days and the upcoming National Farmers Federation conference, both major events on the agricultural calendar.