With parts of the region welcoming 25mm or more in the first five days of May, businesses have benefited from farmers feeling more positive about the future.

Tamworth Rural agronomist James Alexander said the rain had “put a bit more confidence back in growers and faith that it could still rain”.

He said, before the rain, farmers didn’t want to commit to buying certain supplies.

“The rain has put a bit of positivity back in the market and it’s good to see the growers happy and keen to put seed in,” he said.

Purseglove’s Clothing in Gunnedah and Tamworth have also benefited from greater positivity in the region.

Manager Scott Purseglove said there was a definite lack of positivity around February to April.

“The rain at the weekend is not world-changing because it was still pretty scattered, with some areas only getting 15mm and, in Gunnedah, we got 30mm,” he said.

“It’s a start of the rain that they’ve been talking about, though, and the first decent rain since January which has created positivity.”

Mr Purseglove said the falls had given them hope after it had been so dry for so long. 

“Tamworth and Gunnedah are built on the rural sector,” he said.

“Tamworth has so much industry, but even that is affected by the rural sector, and Gunnedah has mining, but there are still a lot of people who work on the land but might not necessarily own properties – so if there is no rain, then there is no work.”

He said farmers could now put in oats and wheat, and some were putting in faba beans around Gunnedah. 

Mr Purseglove said at least half of their customers were from the rural sector, drawing from Inverell, Moree, Narrabri, Scone, Armidale, Glen Innes and Guyra.

“The last few seasons have gotten off to a good start and then it hasn’t rained, and then there have been others that have had an ordinary start, then rain at the end and it ruins it – farming and agriculture is a gamble,” he said.

“We need more widespread falls and steady rainfall, not flooding, but this is hopefully the start of something.”

Mr Alexander said follow-up falls forecast for next week would help boost spirits even further.

“The key is to get another 5-10mm on Sunday or Monday – although 20mm would be nice, but 5-10 is better than nothing,” he said.

“It will go a long way to boost the soil moisture profile.”

He said the region’s residents would see “tractors going around” as farmers began to plant barley and looked to start wheat in coming weeks.

“The blokes who have dry-sown will be a little ahead,” he said. 

“It doesn’t rain feed, though, so graziers will still be hand-feeding and really need follow-up.”