The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has raised its estimate of winter crop production for 2013-14 to 44 MMT, but has lowered its estimate of summer crop production to 4 MMT. The agency says warm and dry conditions across major summer crop planting regions followed a favorable growing season for winter crops.
For the major winter crops in 2013-14, wheat production is estimated to have increased by 20% to 27 MMT and barley production by a total of 28% from the previous year. Although canola production is estimated to have declined by 12% to 3.5 MMT, this remains the second largest canola crop on record, says ABARES.
ABARES says winter crop production in Western Australia, the largest producing state, is estimated to have increased by 55% t to 17.2 MMT while production in South Australia is estimated to have increased by 31% and in Victoria by 2%. In contrast, winter crop production is estimated to have declined by 14% in New South Wales and by 20% in Queensland, across areas in which poor conditions also saw forecast declines in summer crop production, adds the agency.
Meanwhile, grain sorghum production is forecast to decline by 36%, rice production by 22% and cotton by 8%.
