Drought retreat providing early Christmas gift for some farmers

There’s an early Christmas gift for farmers in some parts of the State with the drought declared area dropping from 81.9% down to 69.4%, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said today.

"This is an early Christmas gift for a lucky few of our drought weary farmers who have battled through a horror year and a very dry spring," Minister Macdonald said.

"Areas around Bombala, Braidwood, Casino, Central Tablelands, Cooma, Coonabarabran, Goulburn, the Hunter district, Kempsey, Molong, Mudgee, Northern New England, Northern Slopes, South Coast, Tamworth and Yass have moved out of drought.

"This is the best Christmas gift farming families in these areas could receive, but more rain is needed.

"I must stress that this drought is a long way from over, with only 15.7% of the State considered satisfactory and another 14.9% marginal."

Minister Macdonald said heavy rains had fallen in some areas last month.

"In November Scone received 127mm, Cobar 134.8mm, Braidwood 129mm, Grafton 133.5mm, Tamworth 93mm, Wagga Wagga 73.2mm, Griffith 97.4mm, Parkes 115.4mm and Bega 79.6mm," he said.

"Some regions received above average rainfall. For example, last month 145mm of rain was recorded in Orange - the long-term November monthly average for that district is 75.3mm.

"Scone has received 669mm this year, which is well above the long-term average of 508mm annual rainfall.

"The scattered storms did prompt pasture growth in some areas and bolstered estimates of the summer crop sowings by 40,995 hectares to 253,000 ha.

But unfortunately the November falls were too late to have an impact on our winter crop production which has been slashed to just 2.99 million tonnes."

Minister Macdonald said some farmers will utilise the recent rains and plant a summer crop straight after harvesting or grazing off their winter crops.

"More than 70 per cent of the predicated crop is already sown - this is a great start. A solid summer crop, predominately in the northern region, will help reduce the impact of the failed winter crop.

The largest summer crop will be grain sorghum (155,000 ha) followed by maize (25,000 ha) and sunflowers (16,000 ha)."

About $365 million had been committed to drought assistance to date, he said.

"Just last week I announced $17million in new assistance measures to help farmers and their families, this package included extensions to the drought transport subsidies scheme."

RLPBs Moved out of drought

• Bombala - Part of Division B moved from drought to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Braidwood - Divisions A, B & D moved from drought to marginal
• Casino - Whole Board moved from drought to marginal
• Central Tablelands - Division C and eastern part of Divisions A & B moved from drought to marginal
• Cooma - Divisions A & B and part of Divisions C & D moved from drought to marginal. Whole Board now marginal
• Coonabarabran - Whole Board moved from drought to marginal
• Goulburn - Division B and part of Division A moved from drought to marginal
• Hunter - Division C moved from drought to marginal
• Kempsey - Western part of Divisions A & B moved from drought to marginal
• Molong - Division B moved from drought to marginal
• Mudgee - Divisions A & B moved from drought to marginal
• Northern New England - Divisions A, B & D moved from drought to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Northern Slopes - The eastern part of Division B moved from drought to marginal
• South Coast - Divisions C & D moved from drought to marginal. Whole Board now marginal
• Tamworth - Whole Board moved from drought to marginal
• Yass - Eastern part of Divisions A & B moved from drought to marginal

Marginal to satisfactory

• Armidale - Whole Board moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Bombala - Division A and part of Division B moved from marginal to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Gloucester - Divisions A, B & D moved from marginal to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory
• Hunter - Divisions A, B & D moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Maitland - Whole Board moved from marginal to satisfactory
• Northern New England - Division C moved from marginal to satisfactory. Whole Board now satisfactory