Victoria records biggest harvest week so far

Harvest in Victoria hit a high of 1,093,000 tonnes in the past seven days, while southern NSW had the largest single day of deliveries with 180,000 tonnes.

The past seven days have marked the largest tonnage of grain delivered to silos in Victoria for the 2024 harvest.

Victorian growers delivered 1,093,000 tonnes to GrainCorp silos, and the total for the eastern states is 8,473,900.

GrainCorp head of national operations grains Jason Shanley said southern NSW sites had also recorded the largest single day of receival with 180,000 tonnes delivered.

In Victoria, the busiest sites were in the north east at Swan Hill and the southern Mallee.

Mr Shanley said the overall grain and oilseed quality was excellent. However, the frost impacted crops in parts of southern NSW and Victoria.

“Many crops are yielding better than expected,” he said.

In comparing the 2024 harvest to 2023, Mr Shanley said Queensland and northern NSW experienced larger volumes this season.

Mr Shanley expected harvest volumes to pick up again later this week after the rain.

Meanwhile, there was a cease harvest advice issued by the NSW Rural Fire Service for regions in southern NSW on Monday.

Farmers had to stop the headers from 3pm at Coolamon, Junee, Wagga Wagga, Lockhart, Cootamundra, Gundagai and Hilltops.

Stuart Walker, Dimboola, has wheat, canola, barley, lentils, vetch and oats this season. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

There has been movement on prices in the past seven to 10 days with some of the gloss coming off canola. Prices have dropped from $800 a tonne to $750/tonne at port in Melbourne as harvest progresses.

There has been an upward tick in lentils with prices at $912/tonne this week. Wheat continues to trend steadily at $342/tonne.

Yields for barley and wheat have ranged from 5t/ha to 6t/ha at Neilborough and farmers at Minyip reported 3.5t/ha for barley.

Ryan Milgate of Minyip said early results showed that yields were probably better than could be expected from the year farmers have had, and his lentils yielded 1.5t/ha.

Sixth-generation farmer Stuart Walker, of Dimboola, recorded 5mm of rain during the weekend, after 128mm for the growing season. His farm typically receives double the amount.

He had already baled vetch and oats, with wheat, barley, canola, lentils and wheat still to harvest.

Mr Walker expected another 8-10 days of harvest left to go.