![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2021\/06\/Crop-emerging-300x200.jpg\")
However, it\u2019s not all good news, with the current mouse plague in News South Wales likely to drive up cost of production.<\/p>\n
\u201cIncreased mice populations in the eastern states have resulted in producers undertaking more baiting than usual this season,\u201d Dr Greenville said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will increase costs of production in affected regions, but farm management practices have so far minimised damage to winter crop plantings and development in affected regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome producers are likely to suffer production losses from mouse damage despite the step up in control activity, but national production levels are expected to be largely unaffected given the vast size of Australia\u2019s cropping region.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly indicators are that mouse numbers have peaked in most regions as cold and wet winter conditions slow breeding rates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, some risk remains if warmer weather in spring results in a resurgence of mice.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, predictions on winter planting volumes are a mixed bag with some key broadacres up year-on-year, others down but an overall small gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the major winter crops, area planted to wheat is forecast to increase by one per cent to around 13.1 million hectares,\u201d Dr Greenville said.<\/p>\n
\u201cArea planted to barley is forecast to fall by four per cent to around 4.2 million hectares.<\/p>\n
\u201cArea planted to canola is forecast to increase by 25 per cent to almost three million hectares, the third highest on record.<\/p>\n
\u201cWheat production is forecast to fall by 17 per cent to 27.8 million tonnes but still be 15 per cent above the 10-year average to 2020\u201321.<\/p>\n
Dr Greenville said that the three-month seasonal outlook from June to August issued by the Bureau of Meteorology on 3 June indicated winter rainfall is likely to be above average in most cropping regions in eastern states and South Australia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences crop report June is forecasting above average winter production in 2021\u201322. Area planted to winter crops is set to reach a record high nationally thanks to favourable climate conditions and high world prices. Acting ABARES executive director Dr Jared Greenville said that winter crop prospects […]<\/p>\n