THE season is looking bright for the region’s crops — and that’s good news for the traders and punters alike at Henty.
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Farmers flocked to the field days as skies cleared yesterday, armed with questions and looking to buy ... but not just yet.
Those decisions are for another day, once it’s clear just how good the season promises to be, particularly financially.
But Croplands Victorian territory manager Matthew Plunkett was feeling positive, especially given the recent decent rainfalls.
“A lot of people say if they have a good harvest they’ll buy, so we’ll start seeing the orders (from enquiries this week) trickle in by say, January or February,” he said.
“Because it’s rained quite a bit, everyone’s feeling we’re going to have a good spring, so it bodes well.”
Mr Plunkett’s hoping it’ll be the opposite story to last year when, although the interest at the field days was strong, the dry summer meant there were few buyers.
But the effects of those dry spells can still be felt the following year, particularly on the wallet.
Alastair Robb, a farmer from just outside Corowa, said he still “needs to be careful” after getting through the dry years when any new machinery purchases had to be put on hold.
“It’s looking good (this year), but the wish list is long and the ability is short,” he said.
Any purchase he makes will take careful consideration in the weeks, or months, to come.
“It’s where I gather all my info, go home and later make a decision — it’s a very deliberate process, and Henty is important for that,” he said.
Serafin Machinery regional sales manager Reece Traeger said he had noticed that many of the customers so far were “pretty serious”.
“A lot of people have done their research, they know what they want,” he said.
For Richard McIntosh and his 15-year-old son Angus, it was their first visit to the field days.
“I’m finding it valuable for decision-making,” Mr McIntosh said.
“And I’m just dreaming,” said Angus, as he glanced again at a fire-engine red disc-seeder.
