Australian crop report: February 2015 No.173

The report is a quarterly report with a consistent and regular assessment of crop prospects for major field crops, forecasts of area, yield and production and a summary of seasonal conditions on a state by state basis. \r\n\r\n Key Issues \r\n\r\n Summer rainfall has improved prospects for Australia's 2014-15 summer crop after largely unfavourable seasonal conditions in spring. \r\n\r\n 2014-15 summer crop production • Total Australian summer crop production is forecast to remain largely unchanged at around 3.7 million tonnes in 2014-15. \r\n• While the planted area is forecast to be lower than in 2013-14, yields are expected to be higher. \r\n• However, the forecast area planted to summer crops has been revised up from the forecast published in the December 2014 edition of the Australian crop report. \r\n• Grain sorghum is forecast to rise by around two-thirds to 1.8 million tonnes in 2014-15. \r\n• In contrast, cotton production is forecast to fall by 47 per cent to 470 000 tonnes of cotton lint and around 665 000 tonnes of cottonseed. \r\n• Rice production is forecast to decline by 18 per cent in 2014-15 to around 684 000 tonnes. \r\n 2014-15 winter crop production • Total Australian winter crop production is estimated to have fallen by 13 per cent in 2014-15 to 38.2 million tonnes, reflecting estimated lower production in all the major producing states as a result of a decline in yields from the high yields in 2013-14. \r\n• Production was still higher in 2014-15 than the 10-year average to 2013-14, by 7 per cent. \r\n• Wheat production is estimated to have fallen by 12 per cent to 23.6 million tonnes. \r\n• Barley production is estimated to have fallen by 18 per cent to 8 million tonnes. \r\n• Canola production is estimated to have declined by 10 per cent to 3.4 million tonnes. \r\n