Mice have been a reoccurring theme for Darcy Hare in this year’s canola crop.
“This will be our fifth treatment, four from the ground and a fifth from the air,” said Mr Hare.
The Hare family have 290 hectares of canola planted and the mice have damaged 60% of their crops reducing yield by an estimated 15-25%.
“The damage has occurred at our Tullakool and Niemur properties but not so much at Moulamein.
“We had a challenging establishment missing out on a rain at the critical time and combating the mice, baiting at sowing, during the season, also the banks during watering and now as they attack the pods.”
Mr Hare is encouraging other growers to be vigilant.
“I noticed pods on the ground during a crop inspection. Some were sliced right open and others just had chew marks at the individual seeds along the pods.”
Between the establishment and mice damage, Mr Hare is estimating a yield of 1.5 ton per hectare, the damage and increased costs offset by the current prices on offer, $800+ per ton.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 16 September 2021.