Winter cropping season looks good

Good soil moisture and favorable grain and oilseed prices have the potential for a strong winter cropping season for farmers.

This year's winter cropping season has the potential to deliver to farmers as good levels of soil moisture, and favorable grain and oilseed prices, give them optimism for the 2011 season.
According to ABARES Australian Crop Report for the June quarter, farmers in the eastern states have increased winter crop plantings.
ABARE Deputy Executive Director Paul Morris said the total area sown to winter crops is forecast to rise by 4 per cent to 22.9 million hectares in 2011-12. Winter crop production is forecast to be around 40.8 million tonnes, slightly lower than last years 42.1 million tonne.
"Although the total area planted is forecast to increase, production is expected to be slightly lower than last year because it is expected crop yields in most states will be below last seasons record yields", Mr Morris said.
The area planted to wheat is forecast to reach a record 14.3 million hectares, 7 per cent higher than 2010-11, with total wheat production forecast to be around 26.2 million tonnes, slightly below the previous seasons record production.
Mr Morris said the area planted to barley and canola will increase by 1 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.
"Production of barley is forecast to be slightly lower at around 8.1 million tonnes and canola is to increase to 2.3 million tonnes," Mr Morris said.
"The harvesting of summer crops grown in 2010-11 is virtually complete, with total summer crop production in 2010-11 estimated at 4.8 million tonnes, 73 per cent higher than 2009-10.
"The increased availability of irrigation water supplies last year allowed producers to plant substantially more cotton and rice, with cotton production reaching a new record and rice production at its highest point since 2005-06."
Nationally, farm cash income for grain producing farms is estimated to average $129,700 a farm in 2010-11, an increase se of around 50 per cent from the previous financial year.
Crop farmer have also invested heavily in capital expenditure for harvesting and handling machinery followed by cultivation, sowing, fertiliser and spraying machinery.