Likely record WA winter grain crop, rain gives Victoria a boost
West Australian grain growers are poised to reap a record crop, but in Victoria it’s more of a locality lottery.
One of the best starts to a season looks set to reap West Australian grain growers a record grain crop.
York grain grower Rhys Turton said grain growing regions across the state were experiencing a “brilliant start to the season”.
“Some areas are running into waterlogging problem, but, generally, from one end of the state to the other it has been quite exceptional,” Mr Turton said.
The Grain Industry Association of WA’s July crop report has forecast the state’s winter crop at 19.6 million tonnes, inclusive of seed and feed usage.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences crop report released on June 8 forecast the WA crop at 17.4 million tonnes, making it the third highest on record.
But Mr Turton said good rainfall had not let up.
“Lots of farmers were now putting out urea fertiliser to take advantage of the potential,” he said.
“It is coinciding with very strong canola prices, driven by dry conditions in North America, particularly in Canada.
“We’ve got reasonably firm wheat prices and a not-too-shabby barley price, despite the problems with China.
“Potentially, it's a very good season and some pretty good prices and hopefully they will hold come harvest time.
“But you’ve never got it until the money is in the bank and that is some months away yet.”
Grain Growers Limited chairman Brett Hosking said rain in the past two weeks had also given crops in Victoria a boost.
Mr Hosking said some growers in the northwest of the state were hoping to achieve an above average season, while the dry start would see others only harvest below average yields.
“In the Western District some are getting too much rain and are starting to get waterlogging,” he said.
Numurkah grain grower Greg Watters said some northeast farmers were experiencing waterlogging but generally, it had been a good season.
Mr Watters said a dry start to his season had set crops back a bit but they were now “growing nicely” after good rain.
“The season is essentially a late season even though we got the seed in early,” he said.
Mr Watters had planted 2000 hectares of wheat and barley this year.
Normally, one third was sown to canola and two thirds to wheat but the good canola prices had him switch to the converse.
He said while yields would be lower than last year, he hoped some of that would be offset by the good canola price.
IT’S LATE, BUT WAIT WILL BE WORTH IT FOR CANOLA GROWERS
It has generally been a good season for grain growers in Victoria’s North East, despite some experiencing waterlogging, Numurkah grain grower Greg Watters said.
Mr Watters said a dry start to his season had set crops back a bit but they were now “growing nicely” after good rain.
“The season is essentially a late season even though we got the seed in early,” he said.
Mr Watters had planted 2000 hectares of wheat and barley this year.
Normally, a third was sown to canola and two-thirds to wheat, but the good canola prices prompted him to switch to the converse.
He said while yields would be lower than last year, he hoped some of that would be offset by the good canola price.
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