As the 2016 grain harvest kicks off, Western Australian farmers' worst expectations for frost damage are being met, with some experiencing crop losses of up to 90 per cent.

Grain growers from around the state were aware the damage from a series of frost events late in the season could be significant, but had continued to hope for the best come harvest time. However the cards have not fallen in their favour. Narembeen farmer and shire councillor, Bevan Thomas, has estimated a loss of 50 to 70 per cent of his barley crop, and 30 per cent of the canola. "It's a mixed bag, but probably towards the bottom end of the bag," Mr Thomas said. And on top of losses due to frost, further quality issues have arisen. "To rub a bit of insult to injury, we're fighting on the weights of the barley as well.

"It's bad enough you can not be getting yield, but all of a sudden your quality can change quite dramatically, too."

Although much of the district is yet to begin harvesting wheat crops, Mr Thomas is not confident for much improvement. "Say a 100-hectare paddock you go through from one side to the other and you get nothing on your yield monitor. "But that's not to say the whole paddock is gone," Mr Thomas said. "On that one particular paddock I would say that is 90 per cent [frost damaged]. "But the one next door to it, and lower down into the valley, may be okay. "So hopefully everyone's finding some good, and some bad."

Damage felt state-wide

In nearby shire, Hyden, long time farmer, Colin Nicholl, has also experienced a "mixed bag". "We've found some of our barley has yielded very well, it's had very little affect from the frost, but other parts of it have been very badly affected," he said. Mr Nicholl said the high expectations for a "bumper harvest" this year had added to the blow.

"There's a higher level of disappointment because back in August and the early part of the year we thought we were in for an absolute bumper year, one of the best years ever.

"And to have it taken away from us by an event like frost, you find it very hard to accept. "But it's one of the vagaries of frost — the better the crop, the harder it seems to affect it. And Mr Nicholl said despite research efforts, at this stage there was very little grain producers could do to prevent the impact. "GRDC (Grains Research & Development Corporation) have come and examined quite a few of the crops in the district, and other parts of the state, with the idea of trying to find causes or solutions to it. "And it's one of the big events that we haven't been able to find a solution to."

Reality setting in

Although growers had expected the heavy losses, Bevan Thomas said it was now hitting home.

"When you get in a header and you see your yield monitor saying zero, that is a little bit more confronting.

"I've got a Swiss guy working for me and sometimes it's good that he's driving the header." Despite significant confirmed losses of up to 90 per cent for some growers, there are positives in the mix. "Some people are finding they've got some barley that's going well," Mr Thomas said. "I think it's good to just have a chat in the sample hut or wherever you are and they find you're not the only one having a bit of trouble." If you would like to speak with someone, the Regional Men's Health Initiative can be contacted on (08) 9690 2277, or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Source - http://www.abc.net.au