A LONGER than average growing season could mean Wimmera farmers produce up to double the amount of wheat and barley this harvest.
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The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences’ latest crop report predicts Victoria will produce 121 per cent more wheat and 85 per cent more barley than last season.
The bureau predicts Australia’s winter crop production will reach a new record high of 52.4 million tonnes.
The report stated seasonal conditions in the major cropping regions in Victoria were favourable for crop development during spring.
“Spring rainfall was above average, which increased soil moisture levels, and temperatures were cooler than average,” the report stated.
“However, waterlogging and lodging adversely affected crops in some regions. Frost also adversely affected some crops.”
Victorian Farmers Federation president and Murra Warra farmer David Jochinke said a lot of the year’s potential had been lost with waterlogging and frosts.
He said harvest in the Wimmera was a mixed bag.
“Some people have been smashed by frost and the quality is well down,” he said. “The test weights have been light as well.”
Mr Jochinke said low-grain prices had also taken the shine off the year.
“We aren’t going to kill the pig with this year,” he said.
“Last year was financially my worst year in agriculture and this year had the potential to be the best year I’ve ever had.”
AWB Grainflow manager Ken Ough said growers were delivering large quantities of barley and canola.
“It’s pretty even between feed and malt barley at the moment – about half of barley is going malt,” he said.
“Quantities are really good. People are getting quite a lot off their crops, which everyone is really happy about.”
Nhill farmer Andrew Colbert said the district was seeing yields that only came up once in 20 years.
“There is barely a bad crop in the district,” he said.
Hopetoun farmer Darren Bellinger said if he could order a year like this every year, it would be fantastic.
“The past few years have been ordinary, but this year it’s great,” he said.
“Everything is going really well, we’ve finished harvesting lentils and are about to kick into barley. We’ve got some terrific yields and the quality has been excellent.”
