 Total winter rainfall across the Western Australian grains belt has been average or below average. However, crop prospects remain positive. Rainfall in late August was well timed and widespread across the grains belt. Assuming favourable spring rainfall, yields across Western Australian are forecast to be average.
The northern part of the Western Australian grains belt is having the best season for a number of years. Crops planted in April and early May were sown into moisture and later sown crops were dry sown. Rainfall in July was above average across the region. However, a dry August is likely to have reduced yield potential slightly. If spring conditions are favourable it is likely the region will achieve average winter crop yields.
In the central grains belt, conditions have been variable, but late August rainfall came at the right time to save crops that were beginning to show signs of moisture stress. Winter crops in the Esperance and Great Southern regions are patchy and reflect the variable season experienced across those regions.
The area sown to winter crops is estimated to have increased by around 18 per cent, compared with the previous season, to 7.4 million hectares in 2008-09. The increase in area planted largely reflects the improved seasonal conditions in the northern part of the grains belt. Assuming a favourable spring throughout Western Australia, winter crop production is forecast to be 12.3 million tonnes in 2008-09, 2.6 million tonnes more than the 2007-08 harvest.
Wheat production in 2008-09 is forecast at 8.3 million tonnes, around 2.2 million tonnes more than the last season’s harvest. Wheat yields are forecast to return closer to historical averages to be 1.68 tonnes a hectare in 2008-09, compared with 1.49 tonnes a hectare in the previous year.
The area planted to barley in Western Australia is estimated to have increased by 9 per cent in 2008-09. Barley production is forecast at 2.3 million tonnes in 2008-09 compared with 2.2 million tonnes in 2007-08.
The area sown to canola in Western Australia is estimated to have increased to 620 000 hectares in 2008-09, the second largest area planted to canola in Western Australia. Yields are forecast to reach 1.25 tonnes a hectare in 2008-09, compared with 1.71 tonnes a hectare in the previous season.
Lupin production in Western Australian is forecast to be 346 000 tonnes in 2008-09, an increase of 136 000 tonnes compared with the previous season. Despite the increase in production, this is still one of the lowest levels of lupin production in Western Australia in the past two decades. |
