John Stephens and his three-year-old twin sons George (left) and Walter in his tall canola crop at Bunbartha.
Paddocks across northern Victoria and southern Riverina are bursting into colour as canola flowers bloom.
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The crops have benefited from steady rainfall during winter, apart from a drier May, and growers are hoping that the forecasts of dry months ahead do not threaten a good finish to the crops.
Last week Country News visited John Stephens’ 40-hectare plot at Bunbartha on former orchard country, where the canola was more than a metre high and doing well, despite a little mice damage.
The early-sown hybrid Pioneer variety was put into the ground on April 11 and benefited from 15mm of rain on April 12 and 13.
The weather has been helpful this season and Mr Stephens calculates that, if he can get 18mm of rain each month, the crop will be sustainable through to harvest in about the last week of November. Frosts will not help.
The value of Australian canola production is forecast to remain at record levels in 2022-23 at $6.1 billion, surpassing the previous record of $6 billion in 2021-22, according to national crop forecaster ABARES.
Falling canola prices are expected to be more than offset by record production in Australia, which is estimated to reach 8.3 million tonnes.
Canola prices are expected to be pushed down by rising global oilseed supply because of major competitors recovering from drought conditions over the past two years.
Australian canola production is forecast to decrease with a return to drier seasonal conditions.
Overnight dew and fog leave droplets on canola.
Field trials on canola, wheat and barley will be discussed at a BCG Main Field Day on Wednesday, September 13.
Topics include: optical spray technology; soil management; wheat, barley and canola National Variety Trials; pulse varieties and disease; silicon in crops; seasonal disease management in cereals; canola establishment; barley agronomy; herbicide trials; pastures and oaten hay; livestock eID; and natural capital accounting.
As part of the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub North West Node, this year the BCG Main Field Day will have a focus on how farmers can build resilience in times of drought.
The event will be held at BCG’s main research site 7km west of Kinnabulla on Kinnabulla West Rd. It is free for BCG members and $50 for non-members.
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