Summer and winter cropping forecasts for Queensland’s wheat and sorghum cropping industries are produced by QAAFI’s experts in the complex integration of spatial production modelling and climate forecasting. These crop outlooks are available for free to view and download by growers.
With many areas having near full soil moisture profiles, but too wet to plant, drier conditions are needed to induce significant planting opportunities for winter crops across the state. This early in the season, the likely range of yield outcomes remains wide across the state. However, this range will narrow considerably over the next few months as the outlook is updated through the season.
The prospects for an above average sorghum crop for the entire Australian summer grains region for 2022/23 remains favourable with expected yield above the long-term median at a national level. However, variation in the outlook among local regions exists. Specifically, most areas in northern CQ, and northern NSW have sorghum yield expectations above to well above the median (>70%), while most areas in southern QLD have sorghum yield expectations close to or below the long-term median yield (40% - 60%). This crop outlook is based on a crop-free (short fallow) period through the winter season and therefore areas with longer fallow practices are likely to have better yield prospects for the coming season. It should be noted, this is midway in the growing season, and the range of likely sorghum yield outcomes remains wide.
Paddock watch
Paddock Watch allows producers to directly input crop locations on their properties each season, to be used inside an automated prediction framework. Computer simulation and satellite imagery is then used to map crop production estimates at a regional scale across the State.
Seasonal Harmonics
Seasonal Harmonics depicts the interplay between cropping seasons and different environments. This shows the total summer and winter crop area harvested as well as the production estimates for sorghum and wheat for the last 6 years across northeastern Australia. This was created by integrating daily weather, biophysical modelling and Earth Observations. Note: A downturn in crop area does not necessarily equate to a reduction in crop production (and vice versa). Period: 2014 to 2019.
Download North Eastern Australia Cropping Area Production Estimates from 2014 to 2019
About the researcher
QAAFI’s Dr Andries Potgeiter produces regular seasonal outlooks for sorghum and wheat producers in Queensland. Dr Potgieter (left) obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons, MSc) in Mathematical Statistics at the University of the Orange Free State in 1991 and completed his PhD in the use of remote-sensing technologies, discriminating between specific and total winter cropping areas across regions and seasons, at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia in 2009. Before coming to QAAFI in 2010, Dr Potgeiter worked for the Queensland Government for more than 11 years as a senior research scientist. His main research interest is in the complex integration of spatial production modelling, climate forecasting and remotely sensed systems at a regional scale. In particular, his interest targets agricultural research that enhances the protifability and sustainability of spatial production systems through a better understanding of the linkages and interactions of such systems across a range of spatial (e.g. field, farm, catchment and national), and temporal (i.e. seasons to decades) scales.
Wheat
National Wheat outlook August 2022
Qld Wheat outlook, August 2022
National Wheat outlook July 2022
Qld Wheat outlook, July 2022
National Wheat outlook, June 2022
Qld Wheat outlook, June 2022
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 2.1 MB), October 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 415.2 KB), October 2021
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 2.4 MB), September 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 536.1 KB), September 2021
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 663.9 KB), August 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 494 KB), August 2021
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 1.3 MB), July 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 594.3 KB), July 2021
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 1.6 MB), June 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 529.3 KB), June 2021
National Wheat outlook, (PDF, 1.6 MB) May 2021
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 703.6 KB), May 2021
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 1.5 MB), October 2020
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 353.9 KB), October 2020
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 1.5 MB), September 2020
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 381 KB), September 2020
National Wheat outlook (PDF, 1.6 MB), May 2020
Qld Wheat outlook (PDF, 294.7 KB), May 2020
Sorghum
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 476.7 KB), February 2023
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 339.5 KB), March 2022
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 338.8 KB), February 2022
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 478.6 KB), January 2022
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 578.3 KB), December 2021
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 359.3 KB), November 2021
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 321.7 KB), March 2021
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 317 KB), February 2021
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 329 KB), January 2021
Qld Sorghum outlook (PDF, 756 KB), December 2020
2019
National Wheat outlook, September 2019
National Wheat outlook, August 2019
National Wheat outlook, July 2019
Qld Wheat outlook, July 2019
National Wheat outlook, June 2019
2018
National Wheat outlook, November 2018
Queensland Wheat outlook, October 2018, 905 KB
National Wheat outlook, October 2018, 327 KB
Queensland Wheat outlook, September 2018, 917 KB
National Wheat outlook, September 2018, 503 KB
Queensland Wheat outlook,August 2018, 898 KB
National Wheat outlook, August 2018, 856 KB
Queensland Wheat outlook, July 2018, 828 KB
National Wheat outlook, July 2018, 1.6 MB
Queensland Wheat outlook, June 2018, 834 KB
National Wheat outlook., June 2018, 1.29 MB
Queensland Wheat outlook, May 2018, 817 KB
National Wheat outlook, May 2018, 945 KB
Sorghum
National Sorghum outlook, April 2018, 2.92 MB
National Sorghum outlook, March 2018, 847 KB
National Sorghum outlook, February 2018, 823 KB
National Sorghum outlook, January 2018, 801 KB
2017
Sorghum Outlooks
National Sorghum outlook
December 2017, 808 KB
National Sorghum outlook
November 2017, 861 KB
Wheat Outlooks
National wheat outlook
October 2017, 347 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
October 2017, 980 KB
National wheat outlook
September 2017, 134 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
September 2017, 485 KB
National wheat outlook
August 2017, 430 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
August 2017, 896 KB
National wheat outlook
July 2017, 246 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
July 2017, 884 KB
National wheat outlook
June 2017, 148 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
June 2017, PDF file, 872 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
May 2017, PDF file, 879 KB
Sorghum Outlooks
Regional Sorghum outlook
March 2017, PDF file, 861 KB
Regional sorghum outlook
February 2017, PDF file, 521 KB
Regional sorghum outlook
January 2017, PDF file, 912 KB
2016
Regional sorghum outlook
December 2016, PDF file, 787 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
October 2016, PDF file, 898 KB
National wheat outlook
October 2016, PDF file, 684 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
September 2016, PDF file, 892 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
August 2016, PDF file, 887 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
July 2016, PDF file, 882 KB
Queensland wheat outlook
June 2016, PDF file, 888 KB