May 26, 2008

Australia's NSW winter wheat needs rain urgently

  

 
Widespread rain is urgently needed in the Australian state of New South Wales - which typically accounts for about 30 percent of the country's wheat output - to enable planting intentions for winter crops to be realized, according to a Grains Report issued Friday by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industry.

 

Seasonal conditions continue to deteriorate across the state and good crop yields now depend on above average winter and spring rainfall, according to the report.

 

"All areas are in urgent need of good rainfall to consolidate crops that have been sown and enable the remaining crops to be sown." it said.

 

"Growers in many areas are reverting to dry sowing in anticipation of a seasonal break," it added.

 

The Department estimates total plantings of winter crops in the state of 5.26 million hectares, slightly above recent years. The planting window for winter crops in the state effectively closes in July.

 

Wheat plantings this year are estimated at 3.3 million hectares, more than double the estimated area harvested in 2007 of 1.6 million hectares.

 

New South Wales has suffered three severe droughts this decade, in 2002, 2006 and 2007.

 

In the most recent "normal" year of 2005 when national wheat production reached 25.1 million tonnes, New South Wales accounted for 31 percent or 7.9 million tonnes, from 3.5 million hectares, according to official figures.

 

Wheat output in the state last year was just 1.8 million tonnes.

 

Growers, especially in northern areas, have not been able to capitalise on the good subsoil moisture levels established from good rains in November and December 2007,the department said.

 

Temperatures in May mostly have been above average, rapidly drying out any remaining seedbed moisture, it said.

 

While growers are likely to remain committed to large crop areas at this stage, the cropping mix will swing heavily towards wheat as the seasonal break is delayed, it said.

 

Of other major winter crops, the department estimated barley plantings at 761,000 hectares compared with the 2007 harvest of 548,000 hectares and rapeseed at 244,000 hectares, up from 58,000 hectares.