Australia cuts 2009-10 canola crop estimation
With the harvest almost done, forecast production from Australia's 2009-10 canola crop has been downgraded a tad to 1.77 million tonnes, the Australian Oilseeds Federation reported Tuesday.
If achieved, production would be down from output last crop year ended March 31, 2009 of 1.88 million tonnes, it said.
In Western Australia state, the harvest is nearly complete, with a new crop production estimate increased by 25,000 tonnes from a month ago to 850,000 tonnes or 48% of the national total this crop year, the federation said in its monthly crop report.
In New South Wales state, the production estimate was raised by 20,000 tonnes to 240,000 tonnes, despite generally poor yields due to dry moisture profiles, it reported.
Production in New South Wales remains well down on some crops in the late 1990s that produced more than 600,000 tonnes and many growers now are questioning the role of canola in crop rotations after so many yeas of poor returns, given higher input costs for canola than wheat, it reported.
In Victoria state, the production estimate was cut by 60,000 tonnes to 390,000 tonnes due to heat-wave conditions in November, but output still will be the highest in six years, according to the report.
In South Australia state, the production estimate was cut by 10,000 tonnes to 290,000 tonnes, with most of the oilseed harvested before the heat-wave. Good yields were reported with oil content in a range of 38% to 49%, it said.
National soy production is forecast to increase a little from a month ago to 83,600 tonnes, still down 18% from an actual 101,500 tonnes in 2008-09, while 2009-10 sunflower output is estimated at 43,000 tonnes, down 17% from a month ago and roughly half actual output of 80,300 tonnes from the previous harvest, the report said.
Australia's annual canola output averaged 1.32 million tonnes a year in the five years to 2008-09, of which an average 700,000 tonnes was exported. The federation represents growers, processors, marketers and users.
