Farmers in central west NSW are still counting the cost from recent storms which have destroyed hundreds of crops and left whole farms inundated in floodwaters.
As water around Condobolin and Forbes slowly recedes, many low-lying farms remain underwater with crops demolished.
On the flipside, farms removed from the flood plains will produce bumper crops after the heavy September rainfall.
"There's a whole range of people who live away from the river who are probably going to harvest some of their best crops ever," NSW Farmers Association's Neil Fettell told AAP.
"That's one extreme; there are other people whose farms are completely wiped out."
Mr Fettell, an agronomist and farmer in Condobolin, said local stock farmers were largely able to save their sheep and cattle while wheat, barley and canola farms were hit hardest.
"The overall production will still be pretty good but for individual farmers it means heavy financial loss," he said.
"It's very tough, not just financially but emotionally."
Road transport in the region will begin to improve after a section of the Newell Highway was reopened on Thursday.
The highway, which has been closed due to flooding, has been reopened between Jerilderie and Narrandera.
Houses and buildings around Condobolin and Forbes mostly escaped the floods unscathed, with insurance claims reaching less than $10 million.
Insurers received about 750 claims from the Forbes region, most for low-level storm damage, Insurance Council of Australia said.
Mr Fettell said the internet and social media enabled residents to better prepare for the floods.
Sodden crops are expected to remain underwater for up to five more weeks as the Lachlan River gradually goes down.
Source - http://www.news.com.au/
