grdc growers' report - Grains Research & Development Corporation

Report from the Chair and Managing Director
An overview of the GRDC, its 2010–11 investment
highlights and current activities throughout the regions.
Keith Perrett
Chair
John Harvey
Managing Director
The year 2010–11 saw many challenges and
opportunities facing the grains industry.
Extraordinary weather events were
experienced in the northern and southern
parts of Australia, resulting in an extremely
wet harvest and, in some areas, the worst
flooding on record—many growers face the
challenge of having to repair damaged soils
which have been badly compacted by
harvesting machinery. In Western Australia,
growers experienced severe drought and
poor yields.
On the research, development and
extension (RD&E) front, the adverse
seasonal conditions affected trial results, and
many trials had to be repeated. In addition,
the threat of a major locust plague in August
Total grain production per state over the 5 years 2006-11
and September 2010 coupled with a mouse
plague in 2011 had growers across the
southern and northern parts of Australia
spraying and baiting to ensure that crop
losses were kept to a minimum.
Grain production
The production of winter grains, oilseeds and
pulses increased by 20 percent or 6.7 million
tonnes, to 42 million tonnes from 35.3 million
tonnes.
The production of wheat and barley
increased 20 percent and canola production
rose 11 percent, while chickpea and lupin
production declined more than 20 percent.
Summer crop production increased
by 37 percent or 0.7 million tonnes, to
4.0
Million tonnes
18
17.9
17
16
15
14
13.8
13
13.0
12
11
10.8
10.9
10
9.8
9
9.2
8.3
8
7.9
7.4
7
7.0
6
5.7
5.9
5 4.8
4.7 4.7
4.9
4.6
4
3.9
3.6
2
1.8 2.0
3
2.8
2.9
1
0
2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11
Source: ABARES June 2011 Australian Crop Report.
■ WA ■ NSW ■ SA ■ Vic (incl Tas) ■ Qld
2.7 million tonnes from just under 2 million
tonnes, due primarily to a 47 percent
increase in sorghum production.
Overall, in 2010–11 grains industry
production increased 20 percent or
7.4 million tonnes to 44.7 million tonnes
from 37.3 million tonnes the previous year
and had an estimated gross value of
production of $12.7 billion.
Highlights of 2010-11
The GRDC was involved in some major
achievements for the grains industry during
the year, at all levels, from strategy to
service delivery.
National Grains RD&E Strategy
As described in last year’s annual report, in
2009–10 a national strategy was developed
for grains RD&E, through a committee
comprising grain growers and representatives
from the GRDC, the state departments of
agriculture, the Australian Government,
CSIRO and universities. In 2010–11, the
strategy was finalised and endorsed by the
Primary Industries Standing Committee and
the Primary Industries Ministerial Council.
The Grains Industry National Research,
Development and Extension Strategy
(National Grains RD&E Strategy) will drive
the GRDC’s collective investments in RD&E
to optimise inputs and investment from both
the public and private sectors.
GRDC Regional Cropping Solutions
While the National Grains RD&E Strategy
has a national approach, the GRDC
recognises that growers require more
effective delivery of region-specific RD&E
programs to drive growth in productivity,
profitability and sustainability. The GRDC
Regional Cropping Solutions initiative
established in 2010–11 will focus entirely on
regional RD&E delivery, complementing the
National Grains RD&E Strategy and enabling
the GRDC to have a better understanding of
local production issues.
Where your 2010–11 research dollars were invested ($m)
TOTAL
($140.66m total)
CROSS-COMMODITY
($116.19m total)
COARSE GRAINS
($4.99m total)
GRAIN LEGUMES
($10.45m total)
OILSEEDS
($2.18m total)
WHEAT
($6.86m total)
■ Northern region 30.73
■ Southern region 59.06
■ Western region 50.88
■ Northern region 25.42
■ Southern region 48.89
■ Western region 41.88
■ Northern region 0.63
■ Southern region 3.14
■ Western region 1.22
■ Northern region 2.56
■ Southern region 3.60
■ Western region 4.29
■ Northern region 0.38
■ Southern region 0.80
■ Western region 1.00
■ Northern region 1.74
■ Southern region 2.63
■ Western region 2.50
GRDC GROWERS’ REPORT 2010–2011 3