A lack of spring rainfall across Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales has resulted in a marked deterioration in the major winter crops. “These developments have prompted ABARE to revise down its forecasts for Australian wheat, barley and canola production in 2008-09,” Mr Philip Glyde, Executive Director of ABARE said. “Australian wheat production in 2008-09 is now forecast to be 19.9 million tonnes, some 11 per cent less than forecast in September.” Mr Glyde... ...Read more »

Victorian Agriculture Minister Joe Helper has indicated Victoria’s crops and pastures could be under threat with the possibility that plague locust eggs will begin hatching during spring in Northern Victoria. “The Brumby Government is taking action now to work with landholders on what has the potential to be a serious plague,” Mr Helper reported. “The combined risk of hatchings in Victoria and adult locusts travelling south from New South Wales or Queensland means Victorians... ...Read more »

Food manufacturers will soon have access to a new CSIRO-bred barley variety, which reportedly has significant human health benefits. A licence agreement between the CSIRO/Australian Capital Ventures Limited joint venture and Austgrains Pty Ltd is set to enable the production of large scale commercial crops of ‘BARLEYmax’, which has been created by CSIRO using “conventional plant breeding techniques”. Dr Bruce Lee, Director of the CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, indicates that... ...Read more »

While conditions across the Australian grains belt have been variable, a forecast increase in the area planted provides optimism regarding winter grains production in 2008-09, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE). ABARE’s June issue of the Australian Crop Report indicates a good season could be possible - vital given the recent difficult years and current skyrocketing food prices. “Although substantial areas have been dry sown, the... ...Read more »

Farmers planning to get the best returns on a winter crop this season are advised to get their hands on the latest copy of NSW Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) 2008 Gross Margin Budgets for Winter Crops for Northern New South Wales. Changes to input costs and market conditions will make it even harder to decide on the cropping mix this year and budgeting may provide the answers. Produced annually, the budgets are a guide to the costs and returns associated with major broadacre winter crop... ...Read more »