District grain growers have been forced to put cropping operations on hold for nearly two weeks due to heavy late spring rains.
From Sunday, November 24 up to the end of the month, Kyabram Weather Station registered just over 73mm of rain, bringing the peak of the cropping season to a halt.
Most affected grain growers are hoping to resume cropping later this week, weather permitting.
The recent rain has boosted Kyabram’s yearly total to 436mm, which is just below the long-term average of 450mm.
But some rain figures in October weren’t registered at the Kyabram Weather Station due to a recording malfunction, so the yearly total would be above the long-term average.
Private gauges in the town on October 18 and 19 measured 20mm or more and even up to 35mm in a general rain event but the Kyabram Weather Station recorded only 10mm due to the recording malfunction.
The 73.2mm of rain registered meant November was the second wettest month of 2024 for Kyabram, surpassed only by January when a whopping 137.8mm was dumped.
The recent rain has also taken a toll on some district fruit crops, with mega Kyabram grower Tony Depasquale of D-Pak saying cherry and apricot crops had been hit hard with fruit splitting due to the rain.
‘‘The rain has greatly affected the quality of these fruits, which will amount to thousands of dollars in lost income,’’ Mr Depasquale said.
D-Pak operates cherry orchards in Kyabram and Myrtleford, and Richmond in Tasmania, collectively covering 283 hectares.
Mr Depasquale said at this stage D-Pak peach, pear and apple crops had dodged the majority of rain damage and should experience fairly normal seasons, weather permitting.