November 2, 2011

 

 

New South Wales State's wheat production is forecast to decrease 20% this crop year.

 

New South Wales's Department of Primary Industries said Tuesday (Nov 1) that prospects for winter crops improved through October across the state.

 

The department forecast wheat production of 7.11 million tonnes in the year that ends March 31, well above the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Science's long-term annual average for wheat production in New South Wales, at 5.59 million tonnes

 

In mid-September Abares, the federal government's commodity forecaster, said New South Wales would produce 7.66 million tonnes of wheat in a national crop estimated at 26.20 million tonnes, just shy of the national record crop of 26.33 million tonnes grown in 2010-11.

 

"Grain quality across the state's wheat crop may be variable as the milder conditions and rainfall in the centre and north will result in larger grain and hence crop yields at the expense of grain protein," the state-level department said.

 

The harvest has started in northern, central and western New South Wales for canola, barley and faba beans, with continuing rain and wet paddock conditions causing some delays in northern areas, it said.

 

Stripping of wheat is expected to start in the first week of November, it said.

 

Among other winter crops, the department forecast 2011-12 barley production will fall 26% on year to 1.75 million tonnes, output of oats will fall 24% to 561,000 tonnes and canola production will rise 2.4% to 649,000 tonnes.

 

Meanwhile, summer crop planting is well under way following timely rains in late September and October, though some of the heavier storm events and milder conditions through October have caused damage to newly sown grain and cotton crops, it said

 

The area planted to sorghum in 2011-12 is forecast to rise 23% to 198,000 hectares, it said.

 

Warmer conditions are now needed to allow crops to recover or to be re-sown on wetter paddocks, it said.