Low risk approach yields high grades in harvest

Despite its low output, last year’s harvest has yielded higher grain quality than usual, according to the Grain Industry Association of WA’s latest crop report.

It comes after WA farmers saw an early end to last year’s harvest, with many wrapping up well before Christmas as a result of hot conditions and lack of rain.

Production did not quite meet the forecasted 14.5 million tonnes for all grain in the State, with yields being well below average for most growers.

GIWA crop report author Michael Lamond, an agronomist at York, said the low yield was a result of growers taking a “risk-averse approach” to the harvest by putting less in the ground.

Mr Lamond said the several years before 2023 had produced good yields, which led to growers being more hesitant in taking a gamble last year.

“People were conscious of not wanting to risk the gains they’ve made over the last couple of years,” he said.

“No one would really imagine four good years in a row.”

According to the GIWA crop report, last December’s yields were also largely affected by the overall dry year.

Mr Lamond said there was an upside to the low yields, with the whole State having produced high grain quality.

“Farmers didn’t push their crops too hard,” he said.

“This resulted in lots of high-protein pinched grain that made the higher grades.”

Geraldton Port Zone

Farmers finished off with a higher-than-expected final tonnage across the zone.

The majority of the production was wheat, with 1.15Mt produced.

Growers benefited from the opening of the utility hard stacks for the high screenings, high-protein wheat.

Despite the less-than-average rainfall in most regions, there was a similar tonnage for premium hard grades as utility hard grades.

On top of wheat, canola also made up a majority when looking inland.

Just about all canola delivered in the Geraldton port zone were hybrid varieties, which have contributed to more stable yields compared to the open-pollenated triazine tolerant varieties.

GIWA expects traditional lupin areas near the coast to keep producing lupins, and canola hectares in the zone to increase.

Most growers are now waiting for summer rain to start deep ripping.

For certain soil types and locations, the deep-ripping cycle is becoming shorter.

Albany Port Zone

In the zone’s west, grain yields were varied. However, most farmers yielded less then what was expected before harvest.

While grain quality and protein were exceptional, screenings almost bordered on 10 per cent.

More cropping hectares are expected next season as farmers cut back sheep numbers.

In the zone’s south, the erratic rainfall has led to a below-average results.

Mr Lamond said 2023 was a “really tricky year” for rainfall in the area, with the Albany port zone “getting really dry, really wet, then really dry again”.

Despite this, protein was higher than normal by 2 per cent. Screenings were high as well, allowing growers cleaning grain to hit the high grade.

Barley yields were different depending on the sowing times, rotations and waterlogging.

Disease in barley was at its lowest in 10 years, with many crops from Bordon to Gairdner free from foliar fungicide.

In the east, yields were below average, but growers were satisfied considering the poor rainfall.

There was also an increase of hard wheat for this season.

Growers in the east are already gearing up for the next season with plans for lime and deep ripping.

Esperance Port Zone

Yields were varied across the area.

The zone’s east experienced better yields because of above average rainfall.

North Esperance had poor yields as a result of very little rain, and the western side did not reach grain yield potential because of waterlogged areas becoming very dry.

Despite a few issues including mice and diseases, barley performed well, with most of the malt coming from east Esperance.

However, late-sown barley did not fare as well as previous years because of the low rainfall.

The GIWA crop report predicted both barley and hybrid canola hectares to increase.

Kwinana Port Zones

Kwinana’s north has seen a production of high-quality grain, with generally high protein and more H1 to H2 being delivered.

Growers in the north are expected to cut back sheep numbers to increase cropping hectares for this year.

The GIWA report predicted if there is no summer rain, northern growers will likely sow wheat over canola to lower the risk in low rainfall areas.

In the zone’s north-east, most of the wheat ended up with low screenings. Barley crops were not too affected by the September frost, with much of it going to malt.

In the zone’s south, crops yielded close to recent season averages. Grain quality was overall good, however this was not the case for growers who kept fertilising their crops.

This led to the crops being too bulked up when the rain did fall, causing crops to crash and ending with very high screenings.