Harvesting begins early for some farmers

Some farmers are taking advantage of the hot weather and making an early start to the harvest season in the parts of south-west Victoria.

Craig Drum is an agronomist for the area between Ararat to Lake Bolac and says a small number of farmers have just started harvesting canola and barley.

He says most farmers in the region will probably wait another week or so before they start harvesting.

"You'll find that once one or two headers get going in the district it gets a bit contagious and everyone else wants to get going but most farmers now are well and truly, if they've got to wait they've got to wait," he said.

"So if we get plenty of days like today with it being so hot and yesterday with it being so warm that'll bring the crops in pretty quick and they won't have to wait long."