Australia: Barley production forecast to decrease by 40% in 2017-18
Australias total winter crop production is forecast to decrease by 39 per cent in 201718 to 36.3 million tonnes, largely reflecting an expected fall in average yields from the exceptionally high yields of 201617, ABARES said in its September report
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The countrys total barley production is forecast to decrease by 40 per cent to 8.0 million tonnes, ABARES said.
New South Wales barley production in 201718 is forecast to fall by 44 per cent to 1.5 million tonnes. The average yield is forecast to be below average at around 1.9 tonnes a hectare, reflecting below average rainfall in key growing areas and frost damage. Area planted to barley is estimated to have fallen by 9 per cent to 790,000 hectares.
In the state of Victoria, barley production is forecast to fall by 38 per cent to 2.0 million tonnes, as a result of a forecast 35 per cent fall in the average yield. Planted area is estimated to have decreased by 4 per cent to 900,000 hectares, reflecting unfavourable expected returns compared with canola and pulses.
South Australias barley production is forecast to fall by 44 per cent to 1.7 million tonnes as a result of a forecast 43 per cent decrease in the average yield from the 2016−17 record. Planted area is estimated to have fallen by 1 per cent. Some rainfall late in the planting window is estimated to have resulted in additional area planted to barley on the Eyre Peninsula. This rainfall came too late for the additional area to be planted to canola and pulses, which had higher expected returns at time of planting.
In Western Australia, barley production is forecast to fall by 37 per cent to 2.7 million tonnes as a result of a 38 per cent decrease in the average yield.