WA’s 2024-25 grain harvest is now officially underway, with CBH receiving 69.14 tonnes of GM canola at its Esperance site on October 8 — the first delivery of the season.
While most other growers in the Esperance zone are still giving their crops another week or so before harvest, others have jumped straight into business.
This includes Ravensthorpe grower Kye Chambers, whose family recently delivered about six loads of canola to CBH.
Mr Chambers and his brother Mitchell, together with their wives, Portia and Sophie, and parents Andrew and Jenny, crop more then 9000ha of wheat, canola and barley as well as vetch and faba beans.
Mr Chambers said the season had been “tight” because of this year’s under-average rainfall.
“(We’ve) just been getting enough rain just when we need it, and we had a good August rain that sort of saved our season,” he said.
“But we haven’t really had anything since mid-August.”
Despite the limited rain, Mr Chambers said the numbers were better then what was recorded last year, and he is expecting an average yield for their property.
“Canola’s a bit above average and the barley looks pretty good, and then we’ve had some wheat that’s been a mixed bag,” he said.
“I think the crops are pretty good (considering) the rainfall we’ve had.”
The most recent Grain Industry Association of WA crop report, published September 20, said the lack of spring rain across the State’s growing areas had made a potential high tonnage year “less likely”.
The report predicted an estimated yield of just over 16.8Mt for the State.
Crop report author Michael Lamond said the state was previously looking at “a very good year”.
“However, the complete lack of finishing rains has now put a question mark over final tonnage,” he said.
“On the plus side of the equation, the very large area of barley (1.8 million hectares) is in good shape as it is ahead of wheat in terms of grain-fill.
“The barley, in general, has had a dream run this year with low levels of disease and the lack of waterlogging in the lower lying areas where barley is often targeted.”
Canola crops in the low to medium rainfall areas emerged late and did not have time to put on the growth needed to support high grain yields.
Across the state, Lupin crops are well grown with a lot of biomass, however there are a few pods.
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