Growers have already sold a large proportion of last year’s record grain crop and are turning their attention to the 2017 season.
Farmers are tossing up their planting options for the coming season, but favourable returns for canola and pulses is expected to make them popular choices.
ABARES said it expects Australian wheat plantings to fall by 1 per cent in 2017-18 to 12.8 million hectares, as it loses ground to other crops such as canola, chickpeas and lentils. The national wheat crop will decline by about a third to 24 million tonnes, from last year’s record 35 million tonnes, based on a return to average yields.
Barley plantings are also expected to be down as farmers chase more profitable crops. Production is expected to fall to 8.5 million tonnes, due to the smaller plantings and average yields.