Crop yields in Albany zone get the tick of approval in November crop report

Crop yields for the current grain harvest have been deemed “better than expected” in the Grain Industry Association of WA November crop report. The Albany zone’s expected tonnage has risen by 120,000 tonnes and is now tipped to produce roughly 3.43 million tonnes of grain. With recent rainfall during the beginning of harvest causing delays, the impact of the wet weeks on the unharvested crops is a big concern for farmers. Crop report author Michael Lamond said the Albany zone’s tonnes per hectare were better than expected. The Albany West area has reports of 3t/ha crops. The area has had up to 80mm of rainfall, and Mr Lamond said most growers had been able to escape too much damage to unharvested canola. “Growers are worried about fungal staining in barley crops and falling numbers in wheat,” he said. “Harvest has a long way to go in the region. “If indications from further north where more crop has been harvested continue to hold true, it is going to be another very good year for growers.” In the Albany South area, up to 40 per cent of the canola crops have been harvested already, with better tonnage than expected in some pre-harvest estimates in the Ongerup area. “Some of the poorer rainfall areas around Jacup and Boxwood have only yielded in the 1.0-1.2t/ha range,” he said. “Some swathed canola crops that have not been harvested are expected to have lost some yield from wind, and there are some reports of head loss in barley crops. “There has been a bit of frost damage in the region, and whilst the yields reported here are representative of paddocks harvested so far, some have come in well under 1.0t/ha due to frost.” In the Albany East area, he said crops harvested so far had also yielded up. “There are a few poor spots that will be well down on average yields as previously reported, although for most growers it is going to be one of the best harvests for several years, barring no major weather events,” he said. “The increased area of canola that was planted in the region this year is going to pay off for those growers who have brought the crop back into the system.”