FARMERS to Bendigo's north and north east have reported average to strong yields this harvest season, bucking the trend for regions elsewhere in the state.
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Eastern cropping districts avoided the low rainfall and severe frost impacting other cropping regions in Victoria.
Harvest came to an end in mid-December in the Elmore-Rochester districts.
Elmore grains farmer Darren Trewick said despite a few thunderstorms delaying harvest, it had been a solid season.
"Other than that, we've had a ripping season," he said.
"We're mostly doing straw now.
"The hot weather over the next few weeks won't make any difference."
Wheat crops yielded between 6.5 to 7 tonnes per hectare.
Barley also provided solid returns near Elmore, with Mr Trewick recording 4.5 to 5 tonnes per hectare.
The 2014 season was not as kind for canola, as farmers recorded slightly lower yields than the average.
The Loddon Valley Highway between Bendigo and Kerang has been considered the cutoff point for the season.
Serpentine cropping farmer Andrew Maher finished his harvest at the end of November, and said it had been an average season.
"But east of here has been very good, over towards Rochester and Elmore, and up to Echuca," he said.
"It's really unfortunate for those farmers in areas that have missed out. Sometimes you can have a really bad season, but just 20 kilometres away they are having a great season.
"It was a very patchy season."
East of here has been very good, over towards Rochester and Elmore, and up to Echuca.
- Andrew Maher
Mr Maher recorded wheat at 2.5 to 3 tonnes per hectare and 3.5 to 4 for barley - stronger than usual for the region.
Canola yielded at 1.5 tonnes per hectare.
Mr Maher said the last two seasons had also been strong.
The falling Australian dollar had played a part in bringing farmers to profit for the 2014 season.
Wheat prices increased from $220 per tonne in October to $290 for the end of the year, just as the region's crops reach the port.
Uncertainty in Russia had also helped Australian exporters, helping to ease the oversupply of wheat in the international market.
The southern cropping region, extending across the Western District near Beaufort, is currently in harvest.
The region has also been impacted by low rainfall, in contrast to the usual high rainfall problems experienced in cropping districts south of Ballarat.
Districts from Wedderburn to Birchip experienced low rainfall and severe frost this season, heavily impacting yields.
The Department of Environment and Primary Industries predicted a drier than usual start to 2015.
