WHILE recent weather conditions have been cold and wintry, a lack of rainfall has farmers worried for this season’s crop.

Producers’ hopes were high at the start of this growing season when more than double the average April rainfall total fell across the region, but June and July has not been as kind for farmers.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the Roseworthy weather station recorded just 15.6mm of rain throughout July and 29.4mm in June – both well below the average rainfall for each month.

The region typically receives an average of 42.6mm of rain in July and 44.5mm in June.

Hillier farmer Graham Brookman said while he had systems in place to deal with low rainfalls, it was starting to take a toll on his crops.

“At this stage our (cereal) crops are coming under stress and they’re starting to turn a blue colour,” he said.

“Over the last three years we’ve existed on between 180mm and 220mm of rain. So we’re coming up on three years of effectively drought conditions.”

Colder-than-average days are also set to have an effect on crops, with the Roseworthy station recording its lower ever temperature of -2.8C on July 28.

July also saw Roseworthy record its lowest average daily minimum temperature of 2.9C, with the previous record 4.6C in 1998.

It was also the coldest July in Roseworthy since 1998, with the average temperature just 9.5C, compared to 9.2C 22 years ago.

Mr Brookman said despite the challenges local farmers face, they will always find a way to deliver a crop each year.

“Australian farmers are amazing,” he said. “The aggregate rainfall we have here would be called a desert in many other countries.

“But out farmers still manage to do it because they have adapted their systems, animals and so forth.

“It’s getting more and more difficult. Looking at the predictions from the CSIRO is quite bleak.”