August update: The maps show the declining yield potential across much of the wheatbelt with good potentials in Victoria and southern NSW.
Supported by John Deere, the latest August yield prediction maps are provided with the assistance of Dr David Stephens from Agrometeorology Australia.
The August figures show a marked contrast in crop yield rankings is now developing between bumper yields in much of southern Victoria and very low yield potentials in northern New South Wales and southwest Queensland.
In Western Australia, a late start combined with below average July rainfall has caused yield rankings to fall into the 30-50 percentile ranking range for many shires and soils are quite dry in the southeast for the second year in a row.
With an average finish assumed, coastal shires in South Australia, much of Victoria and southern New South Wales are above median. However, this is based on the good early start in May and below average soil moisture is developing at depth in many shires.
The standout region is the Victorian Wimmera where above average soil moisture is present at the surface and at depth. With not much rain predicted in the next fortnight, yield rankings are expected to fall further and many paddocks will be left for stock-feed in northeastern regions.
Farming Ahead will publish these maps online at the beginning of each month until November this year.
For many years, DAFWA/AEGIC produced national crop yield ranking maps that became one of the most talked about products amongst farmers and agribusiness.
The maps show shire names and are produced as close to real-time after rainfall is recorded at more than 1000 real-time rain stations across the country.
The STIN crop model is used to produce a soil moisture ranking map shown in the main image.
See the PDF document below for yield prediction maps.
