As the days go by without rain, and no forecast for rainfall anytime soon, the prospect of growers having a winter crop at all is slimming.

Landmark Moree agronomist Garry Onus said any winter crops that are still alive are currently being devoured by kangaroos.

“The dry-sown stuff is a non-event; it either hasn’t germinated or it’s germinated and died,” he said.

“There are small pockets alive and looking okay but they need rain. That’s wheat and barley.

“Chickpeas are poking along reasonably well when the kangaroos aren’t flogging it.

“The kangaroos don’t seem to like linseed so it’s doing alright but there’s not much of it in around here.”

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Mr Onus said a lot of the country west of the Newell Highway hasn’t been planted at all, while most of the dry-sowing was done in the eastern areas.

“A lot of it’s fizzled as well,” he said.

“The majority have got nothing in there or a very poor crop. There are a couple of grazing crops in but they’re not going to make it to harvest.”

At this stage, the best case scenario for growers who have dry-sown is if they manage to get enough crop off to plant next year, according to Mr Onus, as those who planted this season are likely to have exhausted their seed bank.

“Anyone who did get seed to the moisture and the kangaroos haven’t devoured it are hoping to strip enough back to get planting seed for next year,” he said.

“They’ve got to decide what to do with the dry-sown stuff, whether to keep it in as seed for next year. It depends on when it does rain and how much.

“People will look at the summer crop option but the majority will get taken around to 2019.”

Mr Onus said this is probably one of the worst winters he’s ever seen in his 30-odd years as an agronomist.

“I’ve been talking to fellows close to 80 and they reckon it’s the worst they’ve seen,” he said.