Unseasonal weather delays harvest

NOVEMBER has been an unpredictable month, with Mother Nature regularly shifting the weather forecast.

To date, parts of Yorke Peninsula have received up to 40mm  of rain this month, posing a challenge for croppers during one of the busiest times of the year. 

And, while some YP crops benefited from October’s rainfall (up to 55mm), ongoing wet conditions have brought fresh frustrations and may prolong the harvest season for many.

According to the latest Department of Primary Industries and Regions Crop and Pasture Report 2025-26: Spring Crop Performance, released in September, the region is expected to produce 1,599,340 tonnes of grain, legumes and oilseeds.

Independent agronomist Craig Wissell said the full extent of crop damage will not be known for about a week.

“It really depends on what weather we get between now and Friday,” he said. 

After inspecting some crops on Monday, November 24, Mr Wissell said the yields looked okay but crops were still wet after the weekend rain.

“It will take a few days to dry out,” he said. 

“The quality of the grain is going to be the issue because it can be potentially downgraded.

“We need some windy weather and the heat to dry it out so they can cook again.”

Mr Wissell also noted that snails have become more active on crops which will pose an issue. 

“It’s definitely a waiting game at the moment,” he said. 

Agronomist Craig Davey said the late season rain has come at a challenging time, causing harvest constantly “stop, start”.  

“I haven’t seen any significant impact on the quality at the moment,” he said. 

Mr Davey noted that lentils, beans and peas are tighter in the ground due to the regular rain which will cause frustration with farmers. 

Looking at the hay market, Mr Davey said there will be lots of low-grade hay heading into the beef and sheep markets. 

“It’s a very mixed bag at the moment,” he said. 

“The colour and feed test has shown significant amount of lower quality in regions.”

PIRSA’s spring report estimates 64,390 tonnes of hay to be produced in Yorke Peninsula with the state’s hay production estimates rising by 15.6 per cent, as some cereal crops were cut for hay rather than harvested for grain, supported by strong hay prices. 

Grain Producers SA chief executive Brad Perry said although some grain producers are relieved to see some improvement this spring, the October rain doesn’t signal a full return to average production as the drought continues in many cropping regions across the state.

“As harvest gets underway, crop growth and quality remain inconsistent across regions, and late rainfall has caused challenges for some growers, especially those cutting cereal for hay or with harvest underway,” he said. 

“While November rainfall has been frustrating for many grain producers trying to harvest, we are hoping some of this moisture can be retained in the soil and utilised for seeding next year.”

The full 2025-26 Spring Crop Performance report is available at www.pir.sa.gov.au/crop-report.

For drought assistance visit, pir.sa
.gov.au/drought-support.