Western Australia knocks on the door of record harvest

Growers say there is still chance of a record harvest for Western Australia with near-perfect growing season conditions. See the latest outlook.

Perfect seasonal conditions across the powerhouse Western Australian wheatbelt have growers optimistic, with this year’s crop already at 23.68 million tonnes and the potential to push toward 25 million.

Growers say above average rainfall in key cropping areas and cool daytime temperatures have bolstered growth but there are concerns about marketing and pricing, with wheat values still trading fairly flat at around $340 a tonne.

Western Australia’s crop outlook has been revised up 7 per cent, or 1.6 million tonnes, from last month, according to the latest Grains Industry of Western Australia report. The record harvest remains the 2022–23 season, when WA produced a record 26 million tonnes, while last year’s 2024–25 crop totalled 22.32 million tonnes.

Esperance farmer Andrew Fowler runs a 50,000ha cropping and livestock operation and said the season was “looking as good as it gets.”

He said that not all crops were standouts, and there had been some waterlogging earlier in the season but he was expecting good results.

“There has been enough moisture for crops to finish really well and the daytime temperatures of less than 20C around Esperance were ideal,” he said.

The average annual rainfall in his area is 500mm and he has measured 400mm of growing season rainfall.

“We are slightly above average for growing season rainfall.”

He estimated barley yields at 5 tonnes a hectare; wheat was close to 5 tonnes; and canola at more than 2.5 tonnes a hectare.

Western Australian farmers say they are expecting a bumper harvest. Picture: Tony McDonough

While the season was one to talk up, there were concerns about wheat pricing.

“The market is tricky. we have had opportunities to sell at reasonable values but like others have held off,” he said.

“The real risk is the big WA crop, and the inability to get it all out in one season,” he said. Mr Fowler said APW wheat was tracking at $340 a tonne.

“But that is better than it being $300 a tonne,” he said.

Barry Large at Miling said he thought the overall WA crop tonnages would exceed current tonnages.

“They are still a bit light, and the finish is unbelievable, we have had rain and cool weather,” he said.

While it may not be this season, Mr Large said he didn’t think a 30 million tonne crop was out of the question for the state.

He said crops were looking good at his place and the growing season rainfall, of 380mm, had nearly caught the annual average of 390mm.

“We have had our 12-monthly rainfall in the growing season,” he said.