Yields defy odds as Aussie harvest set to be second biggest on record

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences said it expected a winter crop of 62 million tonnes, with wheat making up 36.6m tonnes.

This pushes total production a whisker below last year's record, while wheat is up 1 per cent year on year.

Canola production is tipped to rise 4pc to 7.3 million tonnes.

The ABARES figures come in spite of the well-publicised damage to crops in parts of NSW and Victoria due to flooding.

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While there has been much written about the floods the kind conditions in the nation's two western states have flown under the radar to an extent, especially among east-coast based commentators.

Western Australia is set to have a winter crop of 23.1 million tonnes, with some commentators suggesting there could still be further upside.

"It's very good everywhere," said Michael Lamond, Grains Industry of Western Australia.

"We're seeing good yields in the medium to high rainfall zones, but it has also been a good year in the north," Mr Lamond said.

"Overall there have been few problems, there has been hail but the damage from that has been sporadic, while there are some bad stories out there it was not across large areas," he said.

Jared Greenville, executive director of ABARES, said even on the east coast yields were still well above average.

He said Victoria may also push close to record production, even allowing for relatively widespread areas of crop damage caused by heavy spring rainfall.

His comments were backed up by northern Wimmera farmers Brad and Will Martin, Brim.

"We haven't got too far through, we're only on our canola but so far it has been a very good result, which is great considering the rain we had and the wet spots you could see in paddocks," Brad Martin said.

"Both yield and oil levels are very good," he said.

Queensland has also fared well.

"Total production in Queensland is forecast to reach the second highest on record, despite parts of the Darling Downs missing out on plantings after being impacted by the floods," Dr Greenville said.

He said NSW had fared the worst due to the Big Wet.

"Unfortunately, New South Wales has borne the brunt of the damage from the spring rains and subsequent floods," he said. 'Record spring rainfall followed above average rain in August, which has led to losses.

"The total production for New South Wales has been revised down by two million tonnes since our last crop report in September.

But there are still large volumes of grain coming off, with harvest significantly later than usual on the east coast.

Bulk handler GrainCorp has recorded its busiest week of the season, taking in over 1.5 million tonnes for the week to Monday.

NSW was responsible for over half of that, with 828,000 tonnes, while receivals are finally gearing up in Victoria as well, with 542,000 tonnes.

The focus is still primarily barley and canola in the south but from southern NSW and north there are substantial volumes of wheat starting to hit the network.

There was also a monster week at Viterra sites in SA, with 1.3m tonnes delivered, taking total deliveries to 2.5m tonnes with harvest within the bulk handler's western zone now in full swing.

In the west 3.3m tonnes were delivered to CBH sites for the week, taking total deliveries to over 10.3m for the year.

CBH chief operations officer Mick Daw said the business had smashed its all time 24 hour record, taking 587,974 tonnes on December 1, narrowly surpassing the 587,738 tonnes it took on the same day last year.