AgroPages-Australian winter crop production to hit record high of 52.4 mn tonnes-Agricultural news

Total Australian winter crop production is forecast to increase by 32% in 2016–17 to a new record high of 52.4 million tonnes, according to a latest report published by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

Acting ABARES Executive Director, Peter Gooday, said above average rainfall in September, followed by mild spring conditions, had ensured good soil moisture for the critical grain development period.

“Wheat production in 2016–17 is forecast to rise by 35% to a record high of 32.6 million tonnes,” Mr Gooday said.

“At the same time, barley production is forecast to rise by 24% to a record high of 10.6 million tonnes, and canola production is forecast to rise by 22% to 3.6 million tonnes—which would be the third-highest on record.

“Chickpea production is also forecast to reach a record high of 1.2 million tonnes this year—a rise of 21% that reflects an estimated increase in planted area and a forecast rise in the average yield.”

Mr Gooday said that some cropping regions had been hard hit by seasonal conditions this year.

“Across the nation, however, total production is forecast to be higher in every state,” Mr Gooday said.

Mr Gooday also said that total summer crop production was forecast to increase by 21% to around 4.6 million tonnes in 2016–17, with the total area planted forecast to increase by 15% to around 1.4 million hectares.

“Among leading summer crops, cotton production is forecast to increase by 64% in 2016–17 to around 1.0 million tonnes of cotton lint and around 1.5 million tonnes of cottonseed.

“The area planted to rice is forecast to increase almost fourfold in 2016–17 to 90,000 hectares in response to an increase in the supply of irrigation water available to rice growers.

“However the area planted to grain sorghum is forecast to fall by 31% in 2016–17 to 471,000 hectares, the lowest in 24 years.”