Cotton will be sparse this season after water allocations have left Macquarie Valley farmers high and dry.
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Two per cent water allocations for the valley have meant many cotton growers have only sown a portion of their regular crop or none at all.
Narromine farmer, Rob Tuck from Newhaven is growing 70 per cent of his usual cotton due to the bore water on his property.
"We're using maximum ground water," he said.
"We normally get 800 hectares in and this year we have 550 hectares."
Mr Tuck said using bore water would be a big expense.
"It's expensive water, the cost of production rises about 25 per cent, you have to buy diesel, but we've done it before," he said.
Mr Tuck said many farmers in the valley weren't sowing at all because of the water allocations.
"It's disappointing for the other farmers, after a hard finish to a promising winter crop," he said.
Susan Madden, Macquarie River Food and Fibre executive officer, said there's a significant difference to last year's crop.
"We had just under 27,000 hectares in 2013/2015," she said.
"This year there is around eight or nine thousand."
Ms Madden said the decrease in cotton could impact the towns in the Macquarie Valley.
"There will be a flow-on effect, 1000 megalitres of water would generate up to five jobs," she said.
"There will be a flow-on effect, 1000 megalitres of water would generate up to five jobs. It's lack of rainfall."
- Susan Madden, Macquarie River Food and Fibre
"It's lack of rainfall."
The small allocation means the water becomes very expensive for farmers in the region.
"It's a seasonal thing. A lack of regional allocation and the temporary trade price would already be paying $200 a megalitre (of water)," she said.
Mr Tuck said the allocation made sowing a cotton crop almost unfeasible.
"There's not a lot of joy and cotton prices are low today," he said yesterday.
Ag 'n' Vet agronomist, Greg Wynn said the lack of water had caused disappointment in the valley.
"Obviously guys are a bit disappointed with the allocations. We're fortunate most of the growers have bores, but the areas are significantly reduced," he said.
"I think we have resilient farmers, we'll bounce back from it. It's going to be a lean cotton season."
Mr Wynn is unsure about the following season for growers.
"Indications on Monday showed an El Nino coming through, meaning it's going to be drier than average. Though this morning (Tuesday) that's weakened. We have experienced periods of wet weathers in times of El-niño and vice verser, and the SOI is just a tool that can be used to predict seasonal outlooks.," he said.
