DROUGHT and locusts are creating havoc for Central West farmers in the lead-up to winter.
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Orange and surrounding communities are contained in the Central Tablelands and Molong Rural Lands Protection Boards (RLPBs).
The Central Tablelands RLPB was completely drought declared by the State Government on April 1.
The Molong RLPB is drought declared with the exception of Division C, which is a zone spanning from east Molong to Millthorpe and down to Cargo.
Division C narrowly failed drought declaration requirements, and it remains marginal.
Drought conditions are being severely worsened by a locust plague for many farmers north of Orange.
Dugald Grist, a grazier 15 minutes north of Orange, said he was forced to sell some of his sheep because of dry conditions and the locust plague.
"Up until the locusts arrived on Sunday morning we had been having a reasonable season, but now they'll eat us into a dustbowl," he said.
"They eat anything that's green. They're in plague proportions, I've never seen them here like this before."
He said he had fared better in drought conditions than many other graziers and horticulturalists in the Central West because his land had created sufficient run-off conditions for the February rain to fill his dams. However, he said the district was in urgent need of rain.
"The area really needs the autumn rain to provide some pasture growth for winter."
He said the locust plague and the absence of rain meant he would have to rely on stored feed to keep his sheep alive during winter.
