Australia: A shortage in canola seed threatens to put limits on crop sizes

A national shortage of certified canola seed, in particular for hybrid varieties, is threatening to put limits on what could potentially be a massive plant of the oilseed this year.

Farmers have expressed the desire to plant more canola this year, but flooding in key certified seed production areas on the east coast last season has meant there is limited supply. Instead, some farmers are turning to on-farm stored open pollinated seed to fill the gaps, while others may be forced to limit their canola plantings.

In South Australia, Grain Producers South Australia (GPSA) chairman Wade Dabinett said the shortage of seed was a widely discussed problem in his state. “The issue is mainly with access to hybrid seeds, especially the Clearfield hybrids,” he said. “People are set up in their rotation to use a Clearfield variety so it is not always as simple as just switching to another line.” “Farmers here primarily use certified seed, rather than grower retained seed, so the shortage of certified seed could definitely limit canola plantings.”

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) agronomist Rohan Brill said the tight supply of commercial seed was an issue for growers as there were not substantial volumes of canola stored on-farm. “The price of canola was relatively good at harvest which means most people have already sold their crop, so seed could be hard to get hold of.”

Lachy Herbert, trading manager with Riverina Oils and Bio-Energy, said there was a shortage of some varieties of commercial canola seed through the Riverina and Central West in NSW. “There is healthy demand for canola, given the good price and the early rain in parts of the State in early autumn and some people are saying it is difficult to get hold of commercial seed.


Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF) executive director Nick Goddard confirmed hybrid seed was in short supply. “In Western Australia it is very hard to get your hands on certified genetically modified hybrid seed.” He said farmers were largely happy to use on-farm stored seed where possible.

The use of retained seed always accounted for a substantial amount of the national canola plant, but this year it is expected to be a higher percentage.