WA projected planting has decreased by 2.1pc: Rabobank

The predicted 8.96 million hectares is still 1pc above WA's five-year average, but no region is expected to see a rise in planted area year-on-year.

The Kwinana port zone is expected to have the largest decline, while the Geraldton port zone is on par.

According to Rabobank's 2023/24 Winter Crop Report, canola, oats and pulses are all expected to be down this year.

Canola plantings are down 11pc year-on-year, but this is still the second largest canola planting in the past five years.

"Canola area has retracted due to softening prices on the back of strong global supplies flowing into the market from Canada and the European Union," the Rabobank report said.

"The contraction is also a reflection of crop rotation timings, given the large percentage of land cropped to canola last year."

Report co-author, Rabobank associate analyst Edward McGeoch said canola plantings have suffered as all other crops have benefitted.

"The trend in most States - including WA, New South Wales and Victoria - is that canola planting is down on last year due to the pull back in prices and the drier start to the season which has seen farmers returning to cereal crops within their rotations," Mr McGeoch said.

"Lower soil-moisture profiles, due to lack of opening rainfall this year, have led to reduced plantings across the State, with little assistance provided for strong early crop establishment.

"The risk of a dry outlook is also a consideration given the autumn break was not as widespread as in recent strong seasons."

Adjustments in winter crop rotation programs, given the large amount of canola planted last year and the season's dry start has resulted in a slight increase in the area of wheat planted.

According to Rabobank, reduced soil moisture profiles due to "a lack of opening rainfall" this year has led to reduced planting across the State.

"The risk of a dry outlook is also a consideration, given the autumn break was not as widespread as those of recent strong seasons," the report said.

On average only 2pc of farmers across the WA growing regions are considering, implementing or have already implemented a carbon project.

While this may sound small, most other States were tracking at 0-5pc.

The anomaly was Victoria, where in some regions, upwards of 18pc of farmers involved in a carbon project.

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Onfarm storage investment appears to be slowing, after a 15pc increase in the past 12 months - 7pc more onfarm storage is expected to be built in WA in the coming year.

Queensland is set to add the most onfarm storage, at about a 20pc increase, while South Australia is pulling back considerably.

Across WA's growing regions, urea applications are expected to be up 7pc, while potash is expected to increase 2.5pc and phosphate 3pc.

Esperance is expected to decline application rates, however this reduction is offset by significant increases in Kwinana and Albany.

According to Rabobank, WA farmers have 63pc of fertiliser and 67pc of chemical needs purchased for the growing season, with the State again set to be the most prepared for the year.

Rabobank's 2023/24 total Australian winter forecast is at 23.48m hectares, which is up 0.3pc on last year and 5pc on the five-year average.

Wheat is up 11.5pc on the five-year average and 2.9pc year-on-year, and is forecasted to be at 13.44m hectares.

Barley is down 10.4pc on the five-year average, but up 2.9pc year-on-year, while canola is up 21.2pc on the five-year average.

Mr McGeoch said after three years of high rainfall and positive growing conditions in many cropping regions - which had resulted in a "streak of strong or record-breaking grains and oilseed production" - it was clear Australia was looking to lower harvest volumes in the year ahead with the move to drier seasonal conditions.

Meanwhile, ABARES is forecasting the overall grains and oilseeds crop to be about 52 million tonnes, which would be down about 27pc on the previous year, but would still be the fifth biggest harvest ever.