The State’s farmers are bracing themselves for another horror autumn, with almost half of NSW now drought declared, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said today.

Drought figures released by the NSW Government show 48.4% of the State is in drought, up from 42.9% last month, 23.6% is marginal and 28.0% is considered satisfactory.

"These figures represent a real fear in the country that our winter crop may yet again be savaged by this merciless drought as the crucial autumn break has not arrived and time is running out," Minister Macdonald said.

"The big problem many farmers face is there is some sub soil moisture but no seedbed moisture to be able to sow.

"Our farmers have had an absolute gut full of this drought.

"The NSW Government will stand by them for as long as it takes - and we’ve spent in excess of $370 million on drought assistance measures since this drought began.

"Many farmers have suffered more than seven years of consecutive drought, failed crops and dwindling water supplies.

"As the drought looms, the NSW Department of Primary Industries is estimating that between five and 15% of the crop has been sown, most of this dry sown without a drop of rain in recent time.

"Already, the NSW canola crop has been slashed by 30% to an expected planting area of 200,000 hectares because we have not witnessed a good wet start to the sowing season.

"Predictions are for a 5.4 million hectare winter crop comprising 4.69 million hectares of cereals and 0.71 million hectares of pulses and oilseeds.

"The next two to three weeks are crucial for croppers to see this size crop realised.

"In short, the bare minimum we need is at least 25-50mm in southern NSW and 50-75mm in northern NSW. This would be enough to let farmers get this crop in the ground."
Minister Macdonald said parts or all of Bourke, Braidwood, Central Tablelands, Forbes, Goulburn, Molong and Northern New England Rural Lands Protection Boards (RLPB) had slipped into drought.

"April rainfall was very patchy across NSW. Coastal areas received falls but inland regions generally were not as fortunate. Moderate flooding in parts of the mid-north coast, central coast and Hunter show the unpredictable nature of Australia’s climate," he said.

"Total water storages across NSW are at 23.4 % of total storage capacity, down 0.9% on last month, but 12.9 per cent above this time last year."

Areas that moved into drought

Bourke: Part of Board moved from marginal to drought

Braidwood: Divisions A & C moved from marginal to drought

Central Tablelands: Part of Divisions B & C moved from marginal to drought

Forbes: Division A moved from marginal to drought (Whole Board now drought)

Goulburn: Division B and part of Division A moved from marginal to drought (Whole Board now drought)

Molong: Division C moved from marginal to drought

Northern New England: Division B and part of Division D moved from marginal to drought. Part of Divisions A & C moved from satisfactory to drought

Areas that moved from satisfactory to marginal

Armidale: Divisions A & D moved from satisfactory to marginal

Braidwood: Divisions B & D moved from satisfactory to marginal

Central Tablelands: Part of Divisions A, B & C moved from satisfactory to marginal

Cooma: Division A and part of Divisions B, C & D moved from satisfactory to marginal

Coonabarabran: Whole Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Coonamble: Whole Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Dubbo: Part of Divisions B & C moved from satisfactory to marginal (Whole Board now marginal)

Hunter: Division B and part of Division D moved from satisfactory to marginal

Milparinka: Part of Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Molong: Division B moved from satisfactory to marginal

Narrabri: Whole Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Northern New England: Part of Divisions A & C moved from satisfactory to marginal

Northern Slopes: Part of Divisions A & B moved from satisfactory to marginal (Whole Board now marginal)

Nyngan: Part of Divisions A & B moved from satisfactory to marginal

Tamworth: Whole Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Wilcannia: Part of Board moved from satisfactory to marginal

Areas that moved from marginal to satisfactory

Bombala: Division A moved from marginal to satisfactory

Hunter: Division C moved from marginal to satisfactory

Current and previous drought maps are available.

Media contact: Lyndall Derrig 0400 462 447 or Jason Bartlett 0438 209 281