Australia's wheat crop for the 2006/07 year would amount to 24.4 million tonnes, roughly the same as last year, private group Australian Crop Forecasters said on Thursday, in its first full forecast for the season.
Australian wheat production for the growing year ended March 31, 2006 amounted to 25.1 million tonnes, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The country's record crop is 26.1 million tonnes, achieved in 2003/04.
ACF forecast that 12.1 million hectares would be planted to wheat in 2006/07, slightly down from 12.6 million in the latest year. "We are expecting the wheat area to remain relatively stable this season due to a combination of good pre-season conditions in southern and western Australia and expected firm prices," it said.
"Many states have reported that growers have been farming wheat-on-wheat for a few years and are considering a break crop of oilseeds or pulses this season," it also said. ACF also forecast a barley crop for 2006/07 of 10.2 million tonnes for 2006/07, slightly up on 9.9 million tonnes in 2005/06.
"The area for barley will remain stable this season and may possibly lose ground to wheat due to better returns expected from wheat," it said. The group forecast canola production for 2006/07 would amount to 1.5 million tonnes, up from 1.4 million tonnes last season.
"Planting intentions were not realised last year for canola due to the late start in the season," ACF said, referring to the late arrival of autumn planting rains last year.
"We have received strong indications for an increase in area planted to canola this season as long as the season break occurs before June/July," it said.
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