Australia-Rain gives planting season a good start.

AUSTRALIA-GOOD START TO PLANTING THANKS TO THE RAIN.

PARTS of drought-stricken southern NSW have finally cracked a decent general fall of rain which, though not drought-breaking, will trigger widespread winter crop sowing.

And for the first time in years it came on cue about Anzac Day – farmers’ traditional preferred deadline for timely sowing of canola.

The rain, combined with the fact most northern grain growing areas already have full or near-full soil moisture profiles, gives a strong start to the NSW winter cropping season.

Falls from 15 to 50 millimetres in the week to Tuesday morning covered virtually all the southern tablelands, slopes and plains, and parts of the Central West.

For some areas, the rain came on top of storm falls of more than 50mm in recent weeks.