Australia: Barley production forecast to fall by 40% in 2017-18
Total Australian winter crop production is forecast to fall by 41% in 2017-18 to 35.1 million tonnes, primarily reflecting an expected decline in average yields from the exceptionally high yields of 2016-17, according to the December quarterly report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Science (ABARES).
“Prospects for total winter crop production in Australia fell slightly during spring but there was significant regional variation,” ABARES noted in the Dec. 4 report. “The condition of crops varied substantially at the start of spring and seasonal conditions during spring were mixed.
“The two changes to state level crop prospects over spring with most significance for national level production were in Western Australia and New South Wales. In Western Australia, favorable seasonal conditions boosted crop prospects in all cropping regions. In the northern and central east cropping regions, crops were generally in very poor condition at the start of spring and the favorable finish to the season averted failure for many of these crops. In contrast, seasonal conditions were very unfavorable during spring in most New South Wales cropping regions and adversely affected crop prospects.
“Yields in most regions are expected to be well below average. Crop prospects also deteriorated significantly in Queensland over spring but this change will have a much smaller effect on expected national production than the changes in Western Australia and New South Wales. In Victoria and South Australia, regional changes to crop prospects over spring varied but changes to forecast state level production are relatively small.
“Harvest is under way in many regions but progress has been slowed during November by rainfall events. According to the latest rainfall outlook, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology on 30 November 2017 December is likely to be wetter than average in south-east cropping regions.”
Australian barley production is forecast to fall by 40% in 2017-18 to 8 million tonnes, led by a 56% forecast decline in New South Wales and a 36% forecast decline in Victoria. ABARES said the decrease in Victoria reflects a 4% forecast decrease in planted area and a 33% decline in average yield.
Barley production is forecast to decrease by 45% in 2017-18 to 1.7 million tonnes in South Australia and by 29% in Western Australia.
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