GRAIN crops across the State have benefitted from September rain and cooler conditions have been ideal for grain fill according to the Grain Industry Association of WA’s latest Crop Report, released last Friday.
The latest crop estimates puts the 2017 harvest total at 11.531 million tonnes.
The report said frost did not have the same impact on crops this year as it did last year, except for some areas of the Great Southern region.
Production estimates across all crops have increased by more than five per cent from September and overall estimates are up 12.4 per cent.
Grain size and weight is likely to be very good due to the mild conditions over spring and with minimal impact from frost.
Cereal grain protein is likely to be lower than normal due to the unexpected soft finish to the season.
Wheat and barley tonnages are now predicted to achieve closer to historical levels, resulting in a significant turnaround from just a few months ago.
Canola tonnage is going to be close to historical levels, however average grain yields are likely to be lower than normal due mainly to the poor start carrying through to the end of the season.
Oil percentages are likely to be good due to cooler temperatures during the grain fill period.
Lupin tonnages will be down and it is expected much of the production will be kept on-farm.
Oat production for grain and hay will be down this year with much of the oats for grain expected to be retained on-farm.
Field peas have not been impacted by frost as has been the case in the past few years and there is noticeably more alternative grain legumes being trialled across the State, although tonnages are low at present.
The rains in September and cooler conditions over the past month in the north of the State have combined to improve the total grain production estimate for the Geraldton port zone by around 12 per cent.
It is now clear that 2017 will not be as bad as 2006 and 2007 for the zone.
Crops in the Midlands, part of the Kwinana zone, have benefited from the rain and cool conditions in the past month but grain yields for all grains will be below average, except in the western strip close to the coast where grain yields could be average or just below average.
The western areas of the Midlands region have improved dramatically although the big areas of crop are further east and this is where most of the grain is produced in a normal year.
The crops in the western Kwinana zone have benefited from the rain and cooler conditions in the past month as have all crops across the State.
There has been little change in the crop grain yield estimates for the eastern area from last month.
The mild conditions and rainfall in the past month has benefited all crops, although total tonnage is still going to be down as has been predicted all year.
The western Albany zone is now on track for above-average grain yields for all crops.
The mild growing season, lack of significant waterlogging and cool finish are all contributing to crops filling well.
It is clear that the region will produce significantly more grain than what was predicted a month or two ago.
The season looked very good in the region with areas that had a poorer start improving over the past few months in southern Albany.
However, a severe frost event on September 13-14 damaged low areas of crop south of Pingrup, the earlier planted crops around Nyabing and large areas around Ongerup and Jerramungup where temperatures were as low as minus three degrees Celsius for two nights in a row.
Most of the Albany Lakes region is on track for above-average yields.
The areas around Pingaring and Kondinin, where crops were later to emerge, have now picked up to be just below-average grain yield potential.
The Esperance port zone has continued to have an outstanding season.
The light frost events in August have not taken too much off the crops and the large areas north of the coast are predicted to be above average.