THE winter cropping season across Australia faces its third consecutive year of favourable autumn planting conditions.
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) executive director Dr Jared Greenville said the winter crop area is forecast to be slightly lower than last year.
“Excellent seasonal conditions and high crop prices are expected to drive the national planting of winter crops to reach the second highest on record at 23.4 million hectares,” Dr Greenville said.
“Our current prediction is for winter crop production in 2022–23 to be the fourth highest on record at 50.9 million tonnes.”
Mr Greenville said the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest outlook suggested another three months of above average rainfall for the eastern states and South Australia was in store.
“It’s not all good news, heavy rain in May across Queensland and parts of New South Wales has affected the ability for growers to sow their paddocks,” he said.
“If these conditions continue, they may not plant a full program of winter crop.”
According to Mr Greenville, the total summer crop production is predicted to reach another record of 5.5 million tonnes.
