In spite of rainfall deficits as severe as anything seen during the 2018-19 east coast drought, the current crisis in South Australia is attracting a fraction of the attention outside the Festival State.

Long-term grains industry analyst and Clare, SA farmer Malcolm Bartholomaeus said the state was suffering in terms of drought recognition due to the conditions being confined to SA and just across the border into western Victoria.

"It is definitely tough for the ag sector here but whereas during the 2018-19 drought when it was difficult here, but not as bad as this drought, there was also the focus that came with the record dries being experienced in northern NSW and southern Queensland," Mr Bartholomaeus said.

Over the summer period, while SA has remained without rain relief most climate headlines have been around devastasting floods in north and then southern Queensland and bushfires through western Victoria rather than the slow burning drought issue.

To try and raise awareness of the situation Grain Producers South Australia have written to Federal agriculture minister Julie Collins to invite her to visit and get a feel for the situation, which includes many centres recording their lowest annual rainfall in 2024 for over 100 years.

"The immediate area I'm in was probably one of the more fortunate ones, due to soil type and timing of the rain we were able to get away with it to an extent, particularly on crops such as lentils and barley, which were exceptional given the fact it was the lowest rainfall recorded at Bute since 1914."

"For instance, new tanks will be fantastic help when the next drought comes around but aren't going to help make it rain, instead it would be good to look at water tanker and freight subsidies to keep water up to houses and to livestock."

"Some business types, such as cropping, might not be quite as bad, while some agribusinesses with a good footprint outside the state may have more income coming in while those with a focus on serving local farmers are doing it tougher, but the dry is being felt right across the industry."

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) data makes sobering reading, with most of the state's productive farmland at very much below average rainfall at best with some parts the driest on record for the past 12 months.