No significant rainfall during August or September meant the loss of subsoil moisture would not be recovered in any form.

Severe frost throughout the season also combined with the lack of rainfall to leave the region's farmers already looking ahead to 2015.

Farmers in the Mallee will begin crop desiccation in the coming weeks, with harvesting to spread east and south east into local areas over the next month.

Birchip Cropping Group researcher Tim McClelland said while there was a possibility that some pulse crops could still be harvested, it was a lost season for a large number of farmers.

"The rule of thumb is that if you can see grain, you can have a harvest," he said.

"Between Warracknabeal and Wycheproof, and 30 kilometres north of Birchip, farmers are unlikely to have a harvest.

"Yield levels have dropped substantially."

The tipping of crops - cutting the grain above the head and harvest the remainder - could be used to salvage some crops.

The year started promisingly for the region with early and above average rainfall, causing farmers to invest heavily into input costs in anticipation of a strong season, Mr McClelland said.

However some regions experienced almost zero millimetres of rain for July, and well below average in August and September.

Frost also prevented crops from filling their heads, further exacerbating the low subsoil moisture levels.

Mr McClelland said frost had become more of a problem in recent years.

"It seems to be becoming more common. This season we've seen some of the severest frost in memory," he said.

"It's outside of the normal levels."

Yields were also greatly effected during the millennium drought years until 2008. Since then, farmers had enjoyed a number of solid seasons.

Mr McClelland said while long-term trends were a good indicator, seasonal variability in the last decade had made for several tough seasons for farmers.

"We usually have one drought year, one great year and three above average years," he said.

"Lately the drought year has become a complete wipe out.

"However, I think most farmers in the region have had reasonable seasons in the last three years or so."

Speaking with the Bendigo Advertiser during last week's Elmore Field Days, Department of Environment and Primary Industries seasonal variability agronomist Dale Grey said the coming summer was likely to be drier than usual.