December 11, 2007

Australia 07 rapeseed crop to beat expectations

Production from the 2007 rapeseed crop will exceed recent industry expectations, with the Australian Oilseeds Federation on Tuesday (December 11, 2007) forecasting a yield of 1.08 million tonnes, up 55,000 tonnes from a month ago and double the drought-reduced 2006 crop.

The 2007 crop was boosted by better than expected yields in Western Australia - the major producer state - where output will reach an estimated 600,000 tonnes from the harvest to be completed by the end of December, the federation reported in a monthly crop report.

After a poor, dry start to the season, the Western Australian rapeseed crop rebounded "with a significant overall improvement in general conditions" including rain and moderate weather late in the growing season and excellent harvest conditions resulting in above-average yields in many areas, it said.

Despite the slight recent improvement in national production, output won't reach two-thirds of the federation's estimate in August of 1.66 million tonnes before dry weather set in, wasting crops, particularly in southeast Australia.

The federation's estimate is up from a national forecast of 931,000 tonnes issued Dec. 4 by the government's Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

The federation forecast production from a sunflower crop to be harvested early in 2008 at 28,500 tonnes, up from an actual 18,000 tonnes previously, while output from a new crop soy crop will rise to an estimated 37,600 tonnes from an actual 31,900 tonnes previously.

Australia's annual domestic rapeseed demand has averaged 430,000 tonnes in recent years, while exports have averaged 980,000 tonnes a year over the same period, but figures vary each year.

The federation represents the interests of industry participants across the supply chain, including growers, processors, traders and marketers.