His Esperance and eastern Wheatbelt properties have been the hardest hit.

The dry conditions are now also threatening his final yield and ability to cover his $10 million dollar expenditure on the cropping program.

In March, Mr Nicoletti made national and international headlines when Farm Weekly broke the story of his plans to plant a whopping 100,000ha crop.

At the time it was reported to be the biggest individual cropping program ever undertaken in the history of Australian farming.

The initial coverage of the Nicolettis' monster crop has led to a stream of other media interviews and appearances for the once private Nicoletti family, who are now regularly quoted as one of the leading identities in WA agriculture.

The Nicoletti Group owns and leases property in high and low rainfall areas across the WA Wheatbelt, to help spread their risk against drought.

This year they set out to plant 11,000ha more than NSW grain grower Ron Greentree, who was widely regarded among industry experts as Australia's biggest private grain grower.

The Nicolettis' gamble grabbed the public's interest, not just for the size of the crop involved, but also for the incredible dynamics behind the logistical operation, and the enormity of the financial risk.

However, the 20pc reduction in the Nicolettis' program drops the final plant to 80,000ha, and means Mr Greentree retains his unofficial title as Australia's biggest private grain grower.

Mr Greentree said he had completed seeding an 89,000ha program two weeks ago, the same size crop that he planted in 2007.

He said better rain conditions in NSW meant there was enough moisture and confidence to complete the whole program, as per his original plan.

He said this year's crop was planted later than normal, but was in far better shape than the same time last year because of the good subsoil moisture, with more rains expected to come.

He said he was now quite confident of achieving a positive final outcome.

"It doesn't matter if we don't get any more rain from now until September," he said.

The Nicoletti family has 121,000ha of farm land in the eastern Wheatbelt at Westonia, Bullfinch and Marvel Loch, 30,000ha in Esperance, 28,000ha in Mullewa and 8000ha in Quairading.

Mr Nicoletti said his crops at Mullewa and Quairading were looking good at the moment, while Bonnie Rock was "not too bad".