Crop and pasture reports

Summary

• Well below average rainfall has been received in many areas of South Australia from February to April. Unusually dry conditions are predicted to continue throughout May, with a chance of above average rainfall for some areas in June to August.
• Seeding is well underway in most regions, however an absence of rain in early June may result in a substantial reduction in planted area of some crops.
• The largest shift in seeding intention is the dramatic increase in lentil production (38% increase across the state), with noticeable reductions in the planned sowing of chickpeas, field peas and lupins.
• There continues to be a gradual reduction in barley area with a corresponding increase in wheat area.
• The area sown to hay is expected to remain relatively constant.
• The preliminary estimation of cropped area is higher than the 2023–24 season due to an anticipated reduction in pasture area for sheep production. The total cropped area may change if dry conditions continue into June.
• As seeding gets underway, the grain production for 2024–25 is estimated to be 8.5 million tonnes, based on the core assumption of yield being close to the 10-year average.
• Achieving average yields will ultimately depend on the timing of crop germination and establishment (unknown at this stage), as well as growing season rainfall, but also the occurrence of adverse weather events such as heat shocks or frost during flowering and grain fill.

Crop and pasture report dashboard

The PIRSA crop and pasture report dashboard displays crop area and production data. It provides a simple source of crop statistical information.

South Australian crop area, production and yield are searchable by:

• reporting district
• crop type
• season.

The data dates from the 1999–2000 season, up to and including the current season.

Crop reporting districts map

Crop estimates for a season are based on the districts defined in the following map.