Damon Mcknight
Canola is a profitable crop grown in Australia, known for producing healthy vegetable oil and being used as an environmentally-friendly biofuel. Grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt, the growing area extends from southwest Western Australia to southeastern Australia and into northern New South Wales. Western Australia is the major canola-growing state, producing over 50% of the nation's 4 million tonnes each year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Growing Regions | Western Australia, Victoria, South-eastern Australia, Northern New South Wales |
| Production | 3-4 million metric tonnes per year |
| Global Share | 15-20% |
| Farm Gate Value | $1,207 million (2019-20) |
| Major Growing State | Western Australia, producing over 50% of the nation's total |
| Top Export Markets | Germany, Japan, UAE, Belgium, France, Netherlands |
| Oil Content | Higher oil content in Western Australia |
| Pest Management | Adoption of IPM reduces insecticide use |
| Fertiliser Costs | Nitrogen fertiliser is the biggest cost for growers |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia is the largest producer
Canola is Australia's major oilseed crop and is grown in the higher rainfall regions of the country's grain belt. Australian canola is in high demand globally for its use as a food-grade oil, in biofuel production, and as stock feed. It is also sought after for its sustainability, meeting the criteria for market access to Europe for biofuel use. Australia's total canola production has been increasing, averaging more than three million metric tonnes annually, making up 15-20% of the world's export trade.
The growing areas for canola in Australia extend from southwest Western Australia to southeastern Australia and into northern New South Wales. Victoria is another state where canola is a profitable cropping option, bringing diversity to cropping rotations. The average price for canola in 2020 was approximately $560 per tonne, with a 1.7-tonne/ha crop estimated to return a gross margin of around $470 per hectare.
Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers, and windrowing is a specialised operation that adds to the production cost. However, many growers with large areas of canola crops are opting to purchase their own machines to have better control over the timing of windrowing.
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Grown in higher rainfall regions of grain belt
Canola is Australia's major oilseed crop, and the country produces an average of three million metric tonnes of canola per year, making up 15–20% of the world's export trade. Canola is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt. Western Australia is the major canola-growing state in Australia, producing over 50% of the nation's four million tonnes each year. The Esperance Region in Western Australia is the largest canola-producing area in the country, with 1.1 million hectares of land growing canola.
Canola is a profitable cropping option in Victoria, where it is grown in many regions. In Victoria, windrowing is a common but specialised operation that adds to the cost of production. Many growers with large areas of canola crops are opting to purchase their own machines to exercise better control over the timing of windrowing. Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers, but farmers can reduce some of the financial risk by applying most of the nitrogen fertiliser later in the season, before stem elongation, rather than all before sowing.
Some special varieties of canola have tolerance to herbicides that will kill conventional varieties. These include triazine-tolerant, Clearfield, Roundup Ready, and TruFlex types, as well as varieties with more than one type of herbicide tolerance. These varieties also allow growers to sow canola earlier into dry soil rather than waiting for the autumn break and the emergence of weeds. Canola crops that emerge earlier tend to produce higher yields and higher oil content.
Canola is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt, which extends from southwest Western Australia to southeastern Australia and into northern New South Wales. Western Australia's canola is renowned for its high oil content, and the state often achieves higher oil contents than the rest of the nation.
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Victoria: a profitable cropping option
Canola is a profitable cropping option for most cropping regions of Victoria. It is also a profitable option for Western Australia, which is the major canola-growing state in Australia, producing over 50% of the nation's 4 million tonnes each year. The Esperance Region in Western Australia is the largest canola-producing region in the country. The crop is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt, which extends from south-west Western Australia to south-eastern Australia and into northern New South Wales.
Canola is in demand globally for its use as a food-grade oil, for biofuel production, and as a stock feed. Australian canola production is on the rise, averaging more than 3 million metric tonnes annually, making up 15-20% of the world's export trade. The gross margin for growing canola in 2020 was approximately $470 per hectare, with the price per tonne at around $560.
Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers. By applying most of the nitrogen fertiliser later in the season, farmers can reduce some of the financial risk of growing canola. Additionally, some special varieties of canola have a tolerance for herbicides that will kill conventional varieties, allowing growers to sow canola earlier into dry soil. Canola crops that emerge earlier tend to produce higher yields and higher oil content.
Windrowing is a specialised operation that adds to the cost of production. Many growers with large areas of canola crops are opting to purchase their own machines to exercise better control over the timing of windrowing. However, many crops are now harvested without windrowing (direct headed), which can reduce costs.
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Grown for oil and meal production
Canola is a profitable crop for most cropping regions of Victoria, Australia, and is also grown in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and Tasmania. It is well-known for producing one of the world's healthiest vegetable oils and is in demand for its use as an environmentally sustainable biofuel. Canola is Australia's major oilseed crop and is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt. Western Australia is the major canola-growing state in the country, producing over 50% of the nation's 4 million tonnes each year. The Esperance Region in Western Australia is the largest canola-producing area in the country. The majority of WA canola is exported, generating about $1.2 billion for the state's economy annually. WA canola is renowned for its high oil content, often achieving higher oil content than the rest of the nation.
Australia produces 1.9 to 2.7 million tonnes of canola grain each year, making up 15-20% of the world's export trade. Australian canola is grown using sustainable farming systems and can be certified as meeting sustainability criteria for market access to Europe for use in biofuel. Australian canola production is on the rise, and it is sought after globally for its use as a food-grade oil, for biofuel production, and as a stock feed.
Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers. By applying most of the nitrogen fertiliser later in the season, but before stem elongation, rather than all before sowing, farmers can reduce some of the financial risk of growing canola. Some special varieties of canola have tolerance to herbicides that will kill conventional varieties and can survive being sprayed with that herbicide, while many weed species are controlled or suppressed. These include triazine-tolerant, Clearfield, Roundup Ready, and TruFlex types, as well as varieties with more than one type of herbicide tolerance. They also allow growers to sow canola earlier into dry soil rather than waiting for the autumn break and the emergence of weeds. Canola crops that emerge earlier tend to produce higher yields and higher oil content.
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Grown using sustainable farming systems
Canola is Australia's major oilseed crop and is grown using sustainable farming systems. Grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia's grain belt, the crop is well known for producing one of the world's healthiest vegetable oils and is also in demand for its use as an environmentally sustainable biofuel. Australian canola is sought after globally, with production averaging more than 3 million metric tonnes annually, making up 15-20% of the world's export trade.
Western Australia is the major canola-growing state in Australia, producing over 50% of the nation's 4 million tonnes each year. The Esperance region in Western Australia is the largest canola-producing area in the country. The Western Australian government supports the canola industry through agronomic research and development, as well as pest and disease identification and management.
In other states, canola is a profitable cropping option in Victoria, where it brings diversity in terms of cropping rotations. Some special varieties of canola have tolerance to herbicides that will kill conventional varieties, and can survive being sprayed with that herbicide while many weed species are controlled or suppressed. Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers, but this financial risk can be reduced by applying most of the fertiliser later in the season, but before stem elongation, rather than all before sowing.
Canola is grown in south-west Western Australia, south-eastern Australia, and northern New South Wales.
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Frequently asked questions
Canola grows in the higher rainfall regions of Australia’s grain belt. The growing area extends from south-west Western Australia to south-eastern Australia, and into northern New South Wales.
The Esperance Region is the largest canola-producing area in Western Australia, with 1.1 million hectares of land growing canola.
Nitrogen fertiliser is the single biggest cost to canola growers. Insect pests may also require chemical control if they start to cause significant crop damage.
