Crop report: ABARES expects huge recovery for Australia’s winter crops
Australian winter crop production is expected to hit near record volumes this season, according to an ABARES report.
AUSTRALIA’S 2020-21 winter crop production is set to skyrocket over 70 per cent on last year’s volumes.
National yields are predicted to hit 51.5 million tonnes, according to Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics’ December Crop report released today.
This is second only to the record 56.7 million tonnes reached in 2016–17.
For NSW, the state which has suffered years of drought, is on the verge of a “record-breaking” winter crop, and is driving the near all-time high production prospects for Australia overall, ABARES said.
Production in the state is expected to reach about 17.6 million tonnes.
“Production is expected to be a record high in NSW, the second highest on record in Victoria and well above average in South Australia,” ABARES executive director Steve Hatfield-Dodds said.
“Overall, for Australia, the December forecast is a 7.4 per cent upward revision from the figure in the September 2020 Australian Crop Report.”
He said production in key cropping regions in NSW, Victoria and South Australia was boosted by favourable conditions during the critical grain development phase.
“Crops in these states were generally in very good condition at the end of winter, and the favourable rainfall during September and October was perfectly timed for the growth cycle,” Dr Hatfield-Dodds said.
For major winter crops, wheat production is forecast to increase by a massive 106 per cent from last year to 31.2 million tonnes, the second highest on record.
“Barley production is forecast to increase by 33 per cent to 12 million tonnes, the second highest on record, and canola production is forecast to rise by 59 per cent to 3.7 million tonnes, the fifth highest on record,” Dr Hatfield-Dodds said.
For Victoria, besides some parts of the northern Mallee, which ABARES expects to have average yields – above average yields are expected in all other regions.
ABARES said winter crop production in the state is forecast to increase by 24 per cent in 2020–21 to 9.3 million tonnes.
The volume is the highest since 2016–17 and 40 per cent above the 10-year average to 2019–20.
Wheat production is anticipated to increase to reach a record high of 4.7 million tonnes, which would make it the second highest average yield on record.
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