Hail destroyed the sowings in the Mallee region before the start of harvesting

The elements struck the farms on the eve of the harvest, which was set to be a record-breaking one for local agrarians. For those farmers whose crops are insured, damage assessment will take some time, while uninsured producers have no opportunity to receive compensation.

Farmer Mr Foott reported that the storm front was between five and 10 kilometers wide across his property and intensified as it moved eastward, where half-golf-ball-sized and larger hail fell. According to his estimates, losses may exceed 50 percent. The crop is planned to be harvested even with a minimal amount of seed in order to clear the fields for the next year's sowing campaign. At the same time, he noted that most agrarians conservatively estimate yield when insuring and have an insufficient coverage amount, although they prefer to harvest rather than rely on payouts.

An hour to the northwest, in Lasscelles, the diversified crops of farmer Travis Horman were damaged. On Monday afternoon, golf-ball-sized hail destroyed up to 70 percent of the lupin crop and damaged the heads of grain crops. Barley, which had matured more than wheat, lost many heads, and a significant portion of the grain ended up on the ground. The crops are lying flat, which complicates harvesting operations. Additionally, local rains with precipitation of up to 40 millimeters occurred in the area, causing roads to flood and forcing farmers to dig drainage ditches. Due to the aftermath of the storm, the harvesting campaign is delayed, and in some areas, grain will have to be placed in grain bags as truck access is hindered.

Before the storm struck, Mr Horman was expecting record harvests. According to him, it was supposed to be the biggest year of his life, and even his 85-year-old father had never seen anything like it.