Record-breaking Australian grain harvest bolsters global wheat and barley supply
Western Australia farmers report unprecedented crop yields as the state powers towards a record-breaking harvest of more than 27 million tonnes across wheat, barley and other grains.
Western Australia is powering towards a record harvest, with farmers saying the scale of this season is unlike anything they have seen before.
Miling farmer Barry Large believes his state is heading for a record of more than 27 million tonnes for wheat, barley, canola, oats, lupins and pulses.
At this time of year, Mr Large is usually just days from completing harvest, but this season could go well beyond the typical finish.
“This state is experiencing a season that I have never seen in my farming life. There is so much good cropping country and the yields overall are up,” he said.
“I really think we are going to give the record a nudge.”
Western Australia’s previous crop record was 26.06 million tonnes, set in the harvest of 2022.
Mr Large said the pressure was now on bulk handlers and grain traders to find a market for the massive crop.
New data from the United States Department of Agriculture’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released on Wednesday lifted Australia’s wheat production estimate by 1 million tonnes to 37 million tonnes. The report also raised barley production for several exporting countries, including Australia.
Global wheat supplies rose 7.5 million tonnes to 1,097.8 million.
World wheat trade increased 1.5 million tonnes to 218.7 million, while ending stocks grew 3.4 million tonnes to 274.9 million.
For oilseeds, Australia’s canola production was revised higher, contributing to an increase in global output. Global soybean production rose to 422.5 million tonnes, with higher crush and ending stocks at 122.4 million tonnes.
For Western Australian farmers who were bringing in the lion’s share of the harvest, the new forecasts were not surprising and was something they had tipped before the start of harvest.
Chad Eva of Three Springs in the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia said he had about a week of lupins left, then would be finished for harvest 2025.
“There have been some massive crops over here and they are exceeding expectations. It is going to be a record breaker,” he said.
“There are lots of paddocks that have been averaging five tonnes a hectare for wheat.”
The next Grain Industry Association of Western Australia crop report is due out before the end of this week. In November the state’s total crop was estimated at 26.6 million tonnes.
Of that projection, bulk handler CBH reported that 15.2 million tonnes had already been delivered in Western Australia.
In Victoria, Wimmera farmer Ash Teasdale of Rupanyup had finished harvesting barley and said overall yields were up to 1.5 tonnes better than early projections.
“Through this area we have had averages of three to six tonnes, which was better than our early estimates,” he said.
“We were very happy and surprised with barley.”
Mr Teasdale attributed falls of around 50mm of rain in October as being a season saviour for the crop.
He was now hoping to move onto wheat but said there were still crops that weren’t ready to harvest, with the moisture in canola also still a little too high.
Farmer’s crop yields hit decile 7 on decile 1 rain
