According to Baker Seed Company operations manager, Ashley Fraser, Rutherglen, Vic, weevils were found to be present in a number of samples taken from harvested grain received from growers across southern NSW and northern Victoria.

“Weevils have been very prevalent in the samples of grain we have taken,” he said.

“We have noticed a lot more this year than in any other year.

“Weevils and smut-affected heads have appeared much more than in recent years.”

Mr Fraser’s depot receives grain from the Riverina south to the Yarra Valley and he said the infestation wasn’t confined to any particular area.

“People need to be aware of the weevil problem and be aware when storing their harvested grain in the next few weeks,” he said.

Weevils are attracted to moist, warm conditions and a number of crops in the Albury district received a heavy dousing of up to 70 millimetres of rain in the latter stages of November, as harvest was continuing.

A rushed harvest in reaction to imminent rain prompted farmers to store moist grain last year, and with grain being stored for longer as potential drought stock feed, it was a recipe for widespread weevil infestations.

Millions of dollars worth of triticale and barley crops were affected by weevil outbreaks during the winter, and farmers complained control chemicals, such as phosphine, provided less protection than previous seasons.

Phosphine is the sole remaining control chemical widely used by farmers in NSW.

Industry and Investment NSW district agronomist, Kieran O’Keeffe, Coleambally, said growers were increasingly aware of the threat of weevils after the winter outbreak.

“If you store grain, you must only use selected chemicals and be aware of moisture levels in the silo,” he said.

Grain Growers Association chairman, John Eastburn, Baradine, said growers should make sure they clean all machinery properly before and after harvest and reduce moisture in harvested grain to limit weevil infestations.

“Weevils often occur due to a lack of preparation before the harvest occurs,” he said.

“If machinery isn’t cleaned out, weevils can prosper.

“The area along the NSW-Victoria border has had a bit of moisture and extreme heat lately and these are ideal conditions for weevils to breed quickly.”