Hopes are running high for NSW winter crops

Much needed rain across NSW this week has boosted winter crop prospects with regions receiving between 15 millimetres and 30 millimetres.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Technical Specialist Oils and Pulses, Don McCaffery said the July NSW Grains Report provides the latest sowing estimates for all crop types, some highlights, seasonal conditions and the outlook for specific regions.

"Winter crops estimates are for 5.11 million hectares with an estimated 4.07 million hectares of winter cereals and 1.04 million hectares of pulses and oilseeds, Mr McCaffery said.

"Good rainfall in June for most of the central and southern parts of the State allowed sowing to be completed, while the western Riverina and lower western areas are still in need of further rain.

"In contrast some parts of the North West Slopes and Plains have remained too wet after heavy summer rains left some paddocks waterlogged and still too wet to sow.

"Around 94 per cent of potential plantings were estimated to be sown by the end of June, with a further 252,720 hectares of wheat which is to be sown during July. Some of this area will probably be left fallow for this season’s summer crop or next season’s winter crop.

Mr McCaffery said that many areas have also experienced severe frosts throughout June and that this has slowed both crop and pasture growth.

"There is also increasing uncertainty mounting due to the recent medium to long term forecasts indicating that we are entering a drier cycle with El Nino conditions predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for much of NSW," Mr McCaffery said.

"However, for now conditions are pretty good and most of the State’s crop has a full profile of soil moisture sitting under it," he said.

"Canola plantings are estimated to be 664,600 hectares which is a record for NSW and with good soil moisture under most canola crops the yield potential is still good at this stage of the season.

"The winter pulse crop is dominated by chickpeas with estimated plantings of 222,095 hectares which is well up on last season’s area of 146,460 hectares.

"For farmers the major priority over the next 4 -6 weeks will be weed control and nitrogen topdressing for all crops,"
Mr McCaffery said.

The July NSW Grains Report is now available on the DPI website: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/resources/periodicals/newsletters/grains-report-nsw

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