The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has significant direct investment in grains research, development and extension capability and activities, research infrastructure and policy development.
The Western Australian grains industry is a major contributor to the agrifood sector and the Australian economy. WA produces on average 18 million tonnes of grains (cereals, oilseeds and pulses) each year. Grain exports generate more than $5.9 billion (five year average) for the WA economy each year – making it the largest agricultural sector in the state, and the fifth largest export industry overall after iron ore, oil and gas, gold and lithium.
WA exports about 80% of its annual grain production to more than 50 countries worldwide. Indonesia is WA’s top wheat export market worth over $880 million per year, followed by China ($750 million) and Vietnam ($610million) over the last five years. WA is the world’s leading supplier of premium malting barley to Japan, China and India, the major supplier of wheat for the Japanese udon noodle market, and a major feed barley supplier to the Middle East.
In the 2021/22 season it is estimated the WA grains industry exported a total of $6 billion of cereals and $3.2 billion of pulse and oilseeds. The major contributors to these exports were wheat ($3.9 billion), canola ($3.0 billion), barley ($1.4 billion), lupins ($200 million) and oats ($160 million).
Photo Credit: Aphids in Canola trials at Muresk – Turnip yellows virus (TuYV) research by DPIRD
Resource list
Grains Convo Newsletter
Do you want to know how to tackle the biggest challenges facing the Western Australian grains industry?
Do you want to hear from world-class scientists about the latest technology hitting your paddocks?
Subscribe to the Grains Convo newsletter here and stay up to date on monthly research findings and cutting-edge developments from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Grains Team.
Grains Convo Podcast
The Grains Convo podcast shines a spotlight on the knowledge and tools developed by DPIRD to grow the grains industry, with new episodes released on the 1st and 15th of each month.
PestFacts WA
PestFacts WA is an informative and interactive reporting service on pests and diseases threatening crops and pastures throughout the grain belt of WA. Weekly news updates throughout the growing season provide readers with risk alerts, current information and advice.
Keep up to date here
Protecting WA Crops
The DAFWA Crop Protection team have been busy updating the eWeed newsletter to bring you a bigger and better format: Protecting WA Crops.
Protecting WA crops is our new monthly eNewsletter providing agronomists and growers with an up-to-date review (including the latest research) of the weed, disease and pest threats that impact on crop production.
Check out October’s edition here
@DPIRDBroadacre
Follow DPIRDBroadacre on X (formerly Twitter) to get the latest grains and livestock information for farmers and industry in Western Australia
Research and Industry Development Projects
Crop Protection | Effective control of brome grass in the southern and western cropping zones | March 2028
Soil Science and Crop Nutrition |Predicting nitrogen cycling and losses in Australian cropping systems | July 2026
Genetic Improvement | Fast tracking the delivery of improved chilling tolerance chickpea for Australian growers | December 2026
Crop Science and Grain Production | Enhancing frost tolerance and/or avoidance in wheat barley and canola crops through in-season agronomic manipulation | June 2025
Season 2023: Information for WA farmers
The Season 2023 webpage contains seasonally relevant information and management options in the broadacre agricultural areas of Western Australia. Regular review and updated information is coordinated through DPIRD’s Farming Systems Innovation – Regional Intelligence and Adoption branch.
Management resources
- Breakeven yields of grain crops
- Harvesting short, patchy crops
- Grains Convo Podcast: Harvesting short, patchy crops
- Diagnosing wind erosion risk
- Managing wind erosion in south-western Australia
- Managing stubble for wind erosion control
- Grains Convo Podcast: Protecting WA soils against wind erosion
- Dry season resources
- Frost: Tools and support
- Making tough decisions about failed crops
- GRDC Deep ripping fact sheet
- PestFacts WA
- PestFacts WA e-newsletter
- Subscribe to Grains Convo newsletter for updates on DPIRD’s grains industry research
- 2023 WA Crop sowing guide
GIWA Crop Report
The GIWA Crop Reports are a monthly forecasting service, released by the end of the second week each month (excluding January and March), which estimates grain production and yield in Western Australia for the forthcoming harvest season.
GIWA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), CBH Group, Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) and contributions from independent agricultural consultants and agronomists in the production of this report.
Click here to access the 2023 season reports.
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Grains Senior Leadership Team
Contact
Enquiries to Adrianna Jakimowicz at GGA
