Farmers in flood-affected parts of central Victoria remain hopeful of a bountiful harvest but say more rain could mean disaster for their crops.
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Luke Milgate, who grows canola, barley, wheat and faba beans alongside the Loddon River, watched floodwater inundate his land this month and said the weather was almost certain to have caused damage.
“There will be patches that die,” he said.
“To know the full extent of the damage is a bit hard to tell until we get the harvester in there.”
But a favourable growing season in 2016 – Mr Milgate described this year’s crop as one of the best he had produced – meant his plants could not only absorb more water, but also withstand the flood’s pressure.
It is a hard job, but you've just got to keep looking on the bright side, worrying about what we can control.
- Luke Milgate, grower
Another deluge in coming days would make matters worse, though.
Charlton farmer David Cossar’s hay crop bent over in the September rainfall, with sodden ground unable to hold the weight of the tall plants.
He was happy rain forecast for the region last Tuesday failed to fall.
Most of the water on his land had already drained away or been absorbed by the plants.
“We dodged a bullet,” Mr Cossar said.
He will start cutting the crop as early as next week, but more rain could mean the plants were not dry enough to be baled.
Disease was another of his biggest concerns, with plants susceptible to powdery mildew and wheat rust that would need to be combated with fungicides.
Mr Milgate would also have to treat his crops, but remained optimistic about the coming harvest and next year’s growing season.
He said the ground could retain residual moisture and green pastures meant food for livestock was plentiful.
“It is a hard job, but you've just got to keep looking on the bright side, worrying about what we can control,” Mr Milgate said.
“We can't dictate what happens.”