Large areas of western NSW have moved out of drought for the first time in seven years.

January’s drenching rains will have a two-pronged benefit - easing the pressure on struggling farmers and stabilising prices at the checkout.

For the first time in two years only 46.1 per cent of NSW is in drought - down from 52.6 per cent in December.

This is the third successive month that the drought figures have fallen. Hopefully this will translate into cheaper food at the supermarket cash register, especially for staples like fruit, vegetables and meat.

History also tells us that higher rainfall eventually leads to improved production of fresh food products such as fruit and vegetables.

Hardworking families have been doing it tough because of the drought and the signs are positive that 2008 will be the year the worst drought in living memory finally breaks.

Recent rain has seen a transformation in much of NSW from dry parched paddocks to green pastures.

The 271,500 hectare summer crop is enjoying success on the back of the excellent late December and January rains.

The sunflower crop has doubled this year to 21,000 hectares and sorghum sowings are around 176,400 hectares, also up on 2007.

The figures are promising not only for the cropping industry, they also signal lower feed costs for livestock.

Drenching rain is the best thing the State’s primary producers could have hoped for. The rain that fell across much of NSW will help fill dams, nurture pasture growth for livestock and will have a significant impact on summer crops.

About a third of NSW is now satisfactory (32.9 per cent) while 21 per cent is marginal (up from 19.5 per cent).

It is the first time that Bourke Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) had been completely out of drought since June 2001, while Brewarrina RLPB has also recorded its best result since early into the dry period.

Cobar and Hillston also have their best results since 2006. Moree, Nyngan and Casino RLPB regions have also shown good recovery signs.

This rain also means there are now reasonable subsoil moisture levels in the winter crop sowing areas, and more rain in the next two months will only help this.

Where the rain fell in January:

• Murwillumbah 400-600 mm
• Lismore, Casino and Coffs Harbour 300-400 mm
• Cobar, Dubbo, Mudgee, Moree, Inverell and Grafton 100-200 mm

DROUGHT STATUS

NEW DECLARATIONS (moved into drought)

• Milparinka - More of the Board moved from satisfactory and marginal to drought

REVOCATIONS (moved out of drought)

• Bourke - Part of Board moved from drought to marginal and part of Board moved from drought to satisfactory
• Brewarrina - Southern part of Board moved from drought to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Cobar - Parts of Board moved from drought to marginal
• Hillston - Eastern part of Board moved from drought to marginal
• Moree - Whole Board moved from drought to marginal
• Northern Slopes - Part of Divisions A & B moved from drought to marginal
• Nyngan - Western part of Board moved from drought to marginal
• Wanaaring - Part of Board moved from drought to marginal

ALTERATIONS (moved between marginal and satisfactory)

DECLINED (satisfactory to marginal)

• Central Tablelands - Division B and Division A, excluding the area south of the Abercrombie River, moved from satisfactory to marginal
• Milparinka - Part of Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

IMPROVED (marginal to satisfactory)

• Bourke - Part of Board moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Brewarrina - Northern part of Board moved from marginal to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Casino - Whole Board moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Northern Slopes - Part of Division B moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Nyngan - Majority of Board moved from marginal to satisfactory
• South Coast - Division D and part of Division C moved from marginal to satisfactory

Latest drought map available at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/emergency/drought/situation/drought-maps

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