July 11, 2006

 

Australia's wheat crops at turning point

 

Winter crops, including wheat in South Australia are at a turning point and need several good falls of rain in July to achieve good yields at harvest, Brett Roberts, chairman of the grains section of the South Australian Farmers Federation, said Tuesday (Jul 11).

 

"We could have a really good year if it rains from now on, but if it doesn't rain from now on...then you can expect a below-average harvest," he said.

 

Farmers in the state like to receive good rains through July and August in order to build soil moisture levels for crops to tap, as the usually drier spring months unfold ahead of harvesting in November and December, he said.

 

"If July is as dry as a bone, you have to have really good spring rain to get some reasonable yields," he said.

 

In many areas of the state, it now is too late in the year to plant winter crops, though some farmers have not finished seeding, said Roberts.

 

If rains do fall over the next week as some predict, then some people would still  try to plant new crops, he said.

 

The danger with late planted crops is potential yield reduction due to a shortened growing season.

 

Earlier Tuesday, Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported that most winter cropping areas in eastern and southern Australia have a good chance of rain in the next seven days.

 

"The rain will be substantial in some cases," the bank said in a daily review of farm commodity markets.

 

Thursday, the state's Department of Primary Industries and Resources forecast wheat production this crop year at 3.52 million tonnes, down from an actual 3.77 million tonnes last crop year ended Mar 31.

 

The latest production forecast for the new national wheat crop of 22 million tonnes was issued in late June by the London-based International Grains Council, about three quarters of which would normally be exported.