The persistent drought has increased Hastings River oyster farmers' workload but the demand for their product has been high.
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The about 16 oyster producers on the river have been kept busy to meet the demand over the holiday period.
Port Oyster Company manager/director Paul Wilson said seafood was becomingly increasingly popular on the Christmas menu with demand remaining strong for seafood, including oysters, after Christmas.
"It's the busiest time of the year," Mr Wilson said.
"Demand has been huge, and in particular, it's one of the busiest years [2019] we've had as far as demand goes."
He said the stable weather pattern had been very good for oysters with no interruptions to harvesting.
The water quality has been excellent too.
But the drought impacts oyster producers as well as land-based farmers.
Cunjevoi and other marine growth pose an ever-present problem due to the high water salinity with the drought.
Mr Wilson said they had to resort to bringing oysters onshore to dry, which added a huge workload to an already busy schedule.
Rain would ease the marine growth burden on the industry.
"We are looking forward to rain just like land farmers," he said.
Mr Wilson said rock oysters liked a bit of fresh water to help them grow and fatten.
Meanwhile, Graham and Jennifer Labone of Big Bay Oysters have experienced a good selling season despite the drought.
Mr Labone said he would prefer a drought to a flood to some degree.
"You can always sell [oysters] in the drought, but in floods, you can't sell," he said.
Mr Labone said the lack of rain caused high salinity with a lot of cunjevoi growing on the oysters if they weren't dried.
"You have to do a lot of extra drying," he said.
"If you don't dry the oysters, it will cover the whole oyster and stop them from opening up to feed."
But the demand for oysters hasn't waned.
"It has still been a very good season for selling," Mr Labone said.
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