CottonInfo Regional Extension Officer for Southern NSW Kieran O'Keeffe and Elder's Horticulture Agronomist Steve Hirst say farmers will struggle to grow crops this year, but it shouldn't have repercussions for future viability.

Mr O'Keeffe said six percent surface water allocation was not enough to grow a cotton crop this season. Instead, he says some growers are turning to maize crops, with contracts out already.

"Unless allocations really increase, and we are at our planting window now, it's tough," he said.

Mr Hirst agreed that it was not economical to grow some crops this year, with the risk too high to get a good returns.

"But it's certainly not doom and gloom - it's about managing what they've got [water] really well," Mr Hirst said.

"There are positive notes to where the area is going, especially with the diversity and growth of the region, growers use their resources really well and it's a credit to them in this hot dry climate."

He said while droughts are a very tough time for farmers and the challenges are huge, our farmers have been managing dry times for many years and good decisions are being made to stay viable.

Mr O'Keeffe's information indicates those who have groundwater will plant now then water up over the next few weeks into October when the temperatures improve.

"It won't be big areas, in the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray, there might be eight to 10 thousand hectares of cotton planted," Mr O'Keeffe explained.

"The previous year there was 60 thousand hectares.

"Prices are still good, its the same for all summer crops. The rice industry has come out with good prices, maize prices are pretty good and cotton as well, but people don't have the water."

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Mr Hirst said those planning melons or pumpkins will decide to go ahead purely on market price but there is a good likelihood that it won't happen in the smaller sectors where the price of water too high to make a decent return.

"There is such a mixed bag of how much water people have... We just have to look at it season by season.

"We are due for a good wet winter, and with that, a whole new healthy season ahead of us."

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