DRY weather and frosts around Australia in recent weeks have wiped millions of tonnes off the national grain crop.

From Western Australia through South Australia to the east coast grain belt, farmers face a series of weather-related calamities.

Some, who are only just recovering from a poor harvest and hedging losses last year, are now staring at their third consecutive year of drought.

Record temperatures in northern Victoria, along with strong winds last week, have seen grain growers cutting their crops for hay, rather than risking subsequent total crop failure if dry weather continues.

  • It comes as:
  • Rural Solutions SA estimated the South Australian grain crop at 5.45 million tonnes, well down from the 6.49 million tonnes tipped a month earlier.
  • Frosts in the Cowra, Young and Cootamundra districts of NSW about 10 days ago were reported, with crop damage unknown.
  • Recent dry weather in northern NSW resulted in grain growers cutting their crop estimates by a third.
  • A severe frost in the Kondinin area of Western Australia 2 1/2 weeks ago resulted in some growers having total wipe-outs of their wheat crops, with total losses estimated at more than $100 million.
  • In one of the few bright spots in the national grain belt, life-saving rain of up to 40mm in Western Australia two weeks ago offered the promise of a good harvest for most of the state's farmers.

The Victorian Farmers Federation said growers in an area stretching from Donald to Swan Hill were either contemplating or had started cutting their crops for hay, after two weeks of searing temperatures sapped moisture from the soil.

Birchip Cropping Group research and extension manager Fiona Best said high temperatures last week had resulted in some crops reaching wilting point.

Hay cutting contractor Andrew Burchell said there were about five contractors working in the Donald area. He said he started cutting hay for farmers a week ago, and still had about two weeks' work ahead of him.

In South Australia, Rural Solutions SA said many regional centres had their lowest September rainfall on record, with many crops suffering moisture stress.

In Western Australia, the effects of a severe frost on September 22 were now showing up in crops.

ConsultAg consultant Garren Knell said about 10 per cent of the state's grain belt was hit, with half of it frosted.

Although the damage was huge for some farmers, Mr Knell said up to 40mm of rain four days later had boosted crops in the rest of the state, with no net loss of grain.

Karlgarin grower Robert Trenorden said he had suffered about $1 million in frost damage to wheat and barley crops.

For Mr Trenorden, it was the fourth year of spring frosts since 2002.

Hyden grower Trevor Hinck said he had suffered total wipe-outs in some of his wheat crops, and overall had lost about 70-80 per cent of harvest potential - or about 3000 tonnes.

Mr Hinck said the fact his crops were some of the best he had ever grown made the losses particularly devastating.