Last week's heavy rain was a mixed blessing for local farmers.

"There's been good and bad with the downpours,'' said Tommy Sinclair, assistant agricultural officer at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

"But it all balances out.'' "Some of the flooding was in recently seeded fields and a lot of the seed got flooded out,'' he said.

And for some produce, especially tomatoes, the ample rain can be too much of a good thing.

"Things can end up splitting because there is so much water to be taken up that the outside skin can't keep up.'' And unlike gentle showers, torrential downpours may bruise fruits just beginning to ripen.

The hot, humid conditions after the rain also provide an ideal environment for blight.

However Mr. Sinclair said this year's unusually wet July may also create an extended growing season.

"This time of year, farmers are usually winding down,'' he said. "But now there's a temptation for farmers to put another crop in.'' Mr. Sinclair said it would be too much to expect a bumper crop as only a few farmers would be in position to take advantage of the conditions.

But second crops of tomatoes, corn or cucumbers were possible. Farmers could also plant carrots early for next season.