Dry conditions to hit crop yields

Despite some much needed rain this week, Western Australia’s farmers are bracing for a big drop in crop volumes due to dry conditions, which are also expected to hurt other states’ production.

The latest forecast from the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics says the lack of rain will slash 13 per cent from WA’s winter crop, the nation’s biggest wheat grain producer.

According to ABARE, WA is expected to produce 12.3 million tonnes of winter crops – predominantly wheat, barley and canola – down from 14.1mt last year and still well above the dismal 6.8mt in 2002.

WA’s farmers have reduced cropping area from almost eight million hectares to 7.1mha, even though good rains in April had set the scene for a potentially good season.

Many delayed sowing due to the lack of rain in May and those who did go ahead have found the absent June rainfall and unseasonally warm weather has caused stress and damage to newly emerging crops, ABARE said.

ABARE said a dry autumn in most grain growing states would cut winter crop production by 11 per cent in 2006-07.

Australia’s winter crop production is expected to drop overall to 36.1mt from 40.4mt last year.

Wheat production is expected to drop 9 per cent to 22.8mt, and ABARE has also lowered its forecasts for barley and canola.

Almost all cropping areas in the nation have recorded poor rainfall throughout autumn, with South Australia the only exception.

The states worst affected by drought are New South Wales and Queensland.