SOWING conditions throughout WA are still a mixed bag according to the Grains Industry Association of WA (GIWA).
In its most recent crop report, GIWA said grower optimism, relatively steady grain prices and cheap and timely seasonal preparation through summer weed control (thanks to short and isolated rainfall events) put many of WA's grain growers in a good position for seeding.
But it warned some farms had been put in a position of extremely low soil moisture levels and some of that soil had low quality nitrogen mineralisation.
That meant the timing and intensity of the seasonal break would be imperative this year.
The report predicted a relatively high price forecast for wheat and canola would likely lead to a slight increase in area sown to each, compared to 2013 which was 4,375,000 hectares and 1,177,000ha respectively in WA.
Strong lupin prices would also encourage growers in the Geraldton port zone to plant more of them.
In an unusual twist, it also expected WA milling oat production to be down this season after exceptional yields over-supplied the market last year.
In the Geraldton zone, it was predicted growers would cut the size of their cropping programs this year unless there was a big break to the season.
The GIWA crop report predicted a rise in canola plantings of eight to 10 per cent in the Geraldton zone this season.
The percentage of Roundup Ready varieties was also expected to climb.
Canola programs in the west of the zone were expected to be of a similar size as last year and would be mostly sown regardless of the break.
Albus and Australia Sweet Lupin production was expected to rise in the region due to solid market signals and lowered input and establishment costs when compared to canola.
In the Kwinana zone, last week's isolated showers of 15 millimetres to 25mm would undoubtedly increase fertiliser demands at seeding.
There would be more wheat and less barley planted in 2014 due to wheat's stronger profit potential and the issue of barley head loss and lodging last year.
Despite a fall in area planted to barley, more Bass and less Hindmarsh was set to be sown in the region this season and overall the area planted to canola would be similar to 2013.
In the Albany zone most growers were well-placed for the 2014/15 season and had undertaken windrow burning before planning to sow about 20pc of the zone's crop dry.
The area and spread of varieties planted to wheat and barley was expected to remain unchanged in 2014.
GIWA's report suggested more canola would be planted (10pc-20pc) if it rained early but if it wasn't in the ground by May 15 some hectares were expected to be lost to Hindmarsh barley.
Bass barley would replace many Baudin hectares right throughout the zone.
In the Esperance zone planned cropping programs would be sown regardless of the timing of the break of the season and overall canola area was expected to rise by 10pc (250,000ha was planted in 2013) at the continued expense of field peas.
Head retention issues in 2013 would see the area planted to Hindmarsh and Bass barley drop in 2014 and replaced with wheat.