Crop disaster looming for SA farmers
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Hot weather, strong winds: grim crop outlook for SA (Getty Images: Ian Waldie, file photo)
Farmers say extreme weather in South Australia in recent days could cost the grain industry about $600 million.
Strong winds and hot weather have blasted many crops since late last week, cutting expected yields by up to one third.
Peter White, from the Farmers Federation, says it is a blow for many growers who have already been given their final chance by the banks.
"They said 'Well look, we'll stick by you this year but, you know, if this year doesn't turn out well, we'll have to make some serious decisions'," he said.
"Well unfortunately in a lot of cases it is not gonna turn out, so I suspect the banks are going to be under a great deal of pressure both from the impact of the overseas [factors] and the impact of the drought again here and the failure of the spring again."
Mr White says significant rain is needed within the next week or two in SA to give even a few farming pockets of the state the chance of average yields.
But he says the prospects seem grim.
