More than 60 per cent of Australia’s main eastern agricultural state of New South Wales has slid back into drought after a dramatic increase in dry conditions in the past month, the state Government says.
Over the past month, drought grew to cover 62.7 per cent of the state, from 48.4 per cent a month earlier.
“Much of the cropping belt [is] on a knife edge waiting for desperately needed rain,” said the state Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald.
“All cropping areas are in urgent need of good rainfall to consolidate crops that have been sown and enable remaining seed to be planted.”
Areas that have slipped back into drought include key wheat growing areas in the central western parts of the state as well as the northern slopes and southern areas.
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Tags: Australian drought