Farmers are anticipating a bumper harvest this year, as the Wagga countryside turns a lush green following this season's higher-than-average rainfall.
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Wagga farmer Simon Moloney said smiles were returning to people's faces for the first time since 2016, which is the last time anyone can remember seeing a decent spell of rain.
"The mood's optimistic for sure, because this is the first time we've had average-or-better forecast for spring in years," Mr Moloney said.
"I was picking up fertiliser this morning, there were trucks everywhere, everybody coming in to pick up fertiliser - there were a few smiles on faces, which is good to see."
However, Mr Moloney said farmers were cautiously optimistic, since many remembered all too well how last August's promising forecasts ended in disappointment.
Mr Moloney said a lot was riding on this month's forecasts, which are predicting rain for this weekend as well as a wetter-than-average season overall.
"September is our month when everything's starting to flower and get into its reproductive cycles, especially with cereals," Mr Moloney said.
"When we're at that reproductive stage it's crucial we've got moisture in the ground, so it'd be nice if we could pull that off."
If the forecasts prove accurate, Mr Moloney said it would make a huge difference to the Wagga farming community, who were still reeling from the drought.
"We're due, because there's a fair few people that would have borrowed a lot of money over these past five years, so it would be nice if people were able to make a quid again," he said.
"It would be great if we, as an industry, could help the economy pick up again."
Other industries are seeing the run-off benefits from the rainy season, including farming equipment supplier Grainline which has just recorded its most profitable July in the company's history.
Grainline worker Stephen Doven said the month of July was an "all-time record by far", driven by a combination of different factors.
"I really can't nail it down to one thing, but the season has helped us out heaps," Mr Doven said. "We've got more people on the books now than we've ever had, definitely more than when COVID started."
Meteorologists are currently expecting much more rain for Wagga over the course of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
