The report was released Dec. 7 by the acting Executive Director of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Paul Morris.
“Up until recently, many cropping regions in eastern Australia have had near ideal growing conditions and this has boosted crop yields to record levels,” Morris said.
“However, untimely heavy rainfall around harvest time has significantly lowered crop quality in Queensland and many parts of New South Wales. Quality issues reported include lower wheat protein levels, a higher proportion of feed barley and sprouted grain.”
Even though production in Western Australia is forecast to be well down on last season and crop quality lower in eastern states, Australian winter crop production is forecast to rise 22% as compared with last season to 43.2 million tonnes.
Of the major winter grains, wheat production in 2010-11 is forecast to be a record 26.8 million tonnes compared with 21.9 million tonnes in 2009-10.
Barley production is forecast to reach 9.8 million tonnes, 24% higher than 2009-10, and canola production is forecast to rise 7% to 2 million tonnes in 2010-11.
The most significant rise in production is expected in New South Wales, where winter crop production is forecast to more than double to 17.1 million tonnes.
In stark contrast, the poor seasonal conditions in Western Australia is expected to result in the winter crop in that state being less than half of last season, at just 6 million tonnes.
“Looking further ahead, the current full soil moisture profiles and high water storage levels in Queensland and northern New South Wales has given summer crops a very good start to the season, with summer crop production forecast to rise 60 percent to 4.6 million tonnes in 2010-11,” Morris said.
Rice plantings are expected to be more than four times greater than last season at around 89,000 hectares in response to greater water availability. Grain sorghum plantings are forecast to rise by 35% to 697,000 hectares in 2010-11.
