Australia’s canola improves but still lower than 2023/24

Glacier Farm Media | MarketsFarm – Of Australia’s three largest winter crops for 2024/25, canola production was projected to be down from the previous year. Meanwhile, estimates for wheat and barley output were forecast to be higher than a year ago.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) issued its latest crop estimates on Dec. 2, which included slight adjustments from its September crop report.

Although Australia’s canola production is to be down from the 6.05 million tonnes harvested in 2023/24, the outlook for the 2024/25 crop was pegged at 5.60 million tonnes for the fourth largest harvest. That’s slightly higher than the 5.50 million tonnes forecast in September and 23 per cent above the 10-year average.

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Less planted area and reduced yields due to drier-than-expected conditions in some parts of Australia were listed as the reasons for the year-to-year decline in canola production.

By state, Western Australia is to glean the most canola at 2.70 million tonnes, up from the 2.30 million estimated in September. ABARES noted the winter crop harvest was almost complete, but the end could be delayed due to recent rainfall. About 1.60 million hectares were planted this year with yields of 1.69 tonnes per hectare.

At number two is New South Wales with 1.65 million tonnes, down from 1.80 million in the September report. This year’s plantings came to 900,000 hectares with yields of 1.83 t/ha.

Victoria was third with 900,000 tonnes, down from 950,000 in September. About 520,000 hectares were seeded in 2024/25 with yields of 1.73 t/ha.

South Australia was slotted at 325,000 tonnes, compared to 410,000 in the previous report. Around 260,000 hectares were planted with yields at 1.25 t/ha.

The winter harvests were still underway in the latter three states.

As for wheat production, ABARES bumped up its call by 100,000 tonnes at 31.90 million compared to 25.96 million in 2023/24. The 2024/25 wheat harvest is to be Australia’s fourth largest and 20 per cent above the 10-year average.

ABARES trimmed its outlook on the country’s barley crop, placing it at 11.70 million tonnes versus 12.20 in September. However, that’s still well above the 10.80 million tonnes in 2023/24 and three per cent better than the 10-year average.