The harvesters have started rolling in South Australia for one of the most eagerly anticipated crops in years.
Jesse Chandler was the first to front up to the silos at Thevenard with a load of Commodus barley on September 24.
He farms with his brother Harlee, father Milton and mother Tracey at Charra, halfway between Penong and Ceduna on South Australia's west coast.
Milton Chandler said it was the earliest they had ever harvested.
"I think it was 14 or 15 [2014 or 2015] we reaped the Friday before the AFL grand final and delivered on the Monday and this year we reaped on the Thursday so we're a day in front," Mr Chandler said.
"Earliest wheat we put in was on the 8th of April and I was nervous about that, but we've got quite a bit of heavy country and when it gets wet we've just got to go."
Mr Chandler has estimated they would harvest about 4 tonnes to the hectare with their barley.
"I've been farming here since 1980, and this is the best it's ever looked. It's great, and it's fantastic that it's statewide so it's a real positive for everyone."
Crop estimate increased
Primary Industries and Regions SA's (PIRSA) crop and pasture report has revised up the state's crop yield forecast again.
The September report found all regions of South Australia had average to above-average winter rainfall with August being the fourth wettest on record.
Disease pressure has increased under the wet conditions with rusts, powdery mildew, net blotch, black leg and sclerotinia reported across several regions.
Overall PIRSA now believes the area sown this year was 4,234,000 hectares and estimates 11,591,000 tonnes will be harvested.
Growers have said they will need every tonne to make up for low grain prices and high input costs.
"We did buy a little bit of diesel through seeding at $3.27; that hurt a little bit, that was a bit of a wake-up call," Mr Chandler said.
"Even though the [grain] prices aren't great hopefully we can [compensate] that with some big yields.
"Logistically it's going to be difficult to deal with it [the size of the crop], but what a great problem."
The September 24 delivery was not the earliest crop that has been harvested in South Australia.
Records show grain has been received as early as September 19 in the past.
Bunge director of industrial management Gavin Cavanagh said the bulk grain handler had been planning for harvest to be two to three weeks earlier than normal.
Bunge does a big recruitment drive each year for harvest, putting on an extra 1,500 jobs each year, including overseas workers.
Mr Cavanagh said the changes to visa requirements had not affected its ability to fill roles.
"It hasn't impacted us directly; the majority of travellers we recruit are already in the country.
"From our point of view, we're confident that we've got the right amount of people in the right locations to support our farmers in their delivery pattern."
Perfect timing for storms
With warm, dry weather in SA in recent weeks, the recent storms that delivered about 15 to 40 millimetres of rain across the state were very welcome.
Loxton grain grower Robin Schaefer said he thought he was going to get only a couple of millimetres but ended up tipping 17mm out of the gauge on Friday, October 2.
"It was a lovely surprise," Mr Schaefer said.
"Some of our very early barley is pretty close to going now so that won't benefit, but the majority, I'd say at least two thirds or more of our crop would still benefit".
With so much moisture early in the season the plants have put on a lot of vegetable matter.
"It does vary a little bit from farm to farm with a number of drought years in a row and the price of fertiliser people couldn't put as much as they would have liked in a year like this to take advantage of it but we're thankful for what we've got.
"It's just wonderful compared to a drought and I think there will be some very tidy yields around right through the Mallee."
