Grain Producers SA chief executive officer Brad Perry said heavy rainfall last week saw regions across the state with soil moisture at capacity, including the mid North, Barossa and the Riverland, dealing with low-lying water sitting on crops.

It meant many farmers faced one of their latest harvests as they were also forced to monitor growing concern about the late rain creating damaging rust in wheat crops, black spot on beans and powdery mildew that affected grain quality.

“Some areas have started harvesting, Port Pirie and its surrounds often start early and deliver the first loads of grain to Viterra or T-Ports, some in the mid North have started too,” Perry said.

“But the rain has probably put harvest back in most regions by two to three weeks… A lot will be spraying to try and see if they can lessen the impact of rain (on disease) knowing they now have those extra weeks out from harvest, but there’s a wait and see.”

Grain producers were still expecting a large crop despite the holdup, in mid-October grain handler Viterra predicted this year’s crop could hit 11.4 million tonnes – the second largest in South Australia’s history.

Grain Producers SA’s Brad Perry (left) meets with Kangaroo Flat farmer Josh Krieg. Photo: GPSA

This includes record wheat production of 6.85 million tonnes, record canola and the second largest barley and pulses crop.

Perry said one concern with the late crops was for the mental health of farmers who traditionally finished harvest and took a break with family over the Christmas period, many now would still be out in the paddocks.

His assessment came as Grain Producers SA last Friday launched a new awareness campaign around the biggest build-up of vegetation in South Australian cropping regions in more than five years creating a heightened fire risk.

Fire Danger Season is also being launched later today at One Tree Hill by Emergency Services Minister Joe Szakacs, the Country Fire Service and Metropolitan Fire Service chiefs, calling on property owners to be bushfire ready.

“Our ‘Don’t Be a Bright Spark’ awareness campaign is aimed at putting the emphasis on fire prevention in grain producers’ hands,” said Perry.

“If it’s too hot or too windy or the conditions feel dangerous to harvest in, we are saying, follow the steps in our campaign to prepare, maintain, monitor, be safe and communicate.

“If you have any doubts about harvesting on a day where the weather is challenging, speak to your neighbouring farmers and community and see whether others are harvesting too. You could even use social media platforms to create online groups to communicate about harvesting conditions.”

Farmers were also being encouraged by the peak industry body representing some 4,500 grain farming businesses across the state to talk with the SA Country Fire Service for advice.

“Don’t Be a Bright Spark – prepare, maintain, monitor, be safe and communicate – is a simple but important message that builds on our education initiatives from previous years.”

Vegetation on roadside verges and in scrub and pasture adjacent to cropping were high after good growing conditions, and work to establish fire breaks important, Perry said.