[http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s726559.htm]
Thursday, November  14, 2002. Posted: 11:43:15 (AEDT) 

Hot, dry winds take toll on crops
The Mudgee/Merriwa Rural Lands Protection Board, in central-eastern NSW, says hot and dry winds in recent weeks have decimated the few crops that have been planted in parts of the Merriwa district.

The board's operation's manager, Kevin O'Malley, says he expects there will be virtually no grain harvests in the area this season and canola, barley and oats plantings are also small.

Mr O'Malley says the outlook in the area is very grim.

"The last week to 10 days of hot winds has really decimated the crops in the district, there's a lot of them now that have been stocked, some are being baled for hay - I would expect there'll be very little grain harvested in this district at all," he said.

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