Canola yields: Canola flowering early in many regions

Canola crops are in full bloom in parts of southern NSW, with Victorian crops not far behind. See what it means for yields.

Early flowering canola crops and the continued risk of frost has growers throughout southern NSW and northern Victoria on tenterhooks.

On top of this, cropping farmers are already resigned to the fact that the current urea shortage could result in 20 to 40 per cent yield losses at harvest.

Yet, in a picture-postcard sense, many crops are looking magnificent.

Meanwhile, a frost swept through much of southern NSW and northern Victoria on Sunday, Pacific Seeds Riverina and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area territory manager Karl Schilg said despite the recent frost canola was a resilient crop.

He said several factors were at play with early-flowering canola, and it could be as simple as genetics and the environment or the fact that some crops were sown early.

“In many areas, there were good opportunities to sow early,” he said.

Day length and temperatures were also contributors in the August flowering of the crop.

On top of this waterlogging and wet conditions had also wreaked havoc with canola in southern NSW and Victoria, and they were showing signs of stress.

The magnifying factor for all crops was the need for urea.

The wet conditions and promise of good yields may not come to fruition due to a lack of nitrogen.

“If you look at the mathematics of it, canola removes 40 kilograms of nitrogen per tonne of grain yield,” he said.

Ashley Fraser pictured in a crop of canola at Rutherglen. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Ashley Fraser and Aaron Giason of Baker Seeds at Rutherglen in southern NSW said canola crops in their area were currently at about 10 per cent flowering.

Mr Giason said although canola was looking good many crops may not reach full yield potential due to the lack of urea.

Meanwhile, canola prices have tracked at more optimistic levels than initially expected for 2023, with the current price sitting at $687/tonne after pushing above $700/tonne late last month.

There is likely to be good demand for those who can deliver handy crops to the silos later this year.