Eastern Australia’s low projected grain harvest will harm contract harvesters who rely on the drought-affected crops for income.
Bruce Estens, a contractor who harvests up to 25, 000 hectares of grain from Queensland to Victoria each winter, says 6000 hectares could be an optimistic result this year.
"We're being ravaged, just like the farmers," he says, citing one crop he’s worked on for over 22 years, which was completely wiped out this year.