Bloomin’ beautiful: Chris Sharkey at Balliang among some of the region’s bumper crop of canola. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 54815
Andrew Mathieson
FARMERS across the region who swapped traditional vegie crops to canola are reaping the benefits from heavier-than-expected winter rains, according to a grower.
Balliang farmer Eric Sharkey said several farms made a wise choice in March to sow canola seeds for this year’s crop.
“We have a bit more in crops than what we normally would have,” he said of the growing blankets of yellow across the region.
“That would be the case this year and it depends a bit on the season’s forecast. Percentage-wise, it’s not near the number of the other cereals but it has certainly stood out this year and people do notice.”
Balliang, 40km north of Geelong, has been the centre of canola in the region but several broadacre farms closer to the city have switched to the oilseed.
Mr Sharkey, Victoria’s grains group treasurer, said growing canola allowed farmers to “rotate” the paddocks to avoid feared diseases from other cereal crops.
He said recent heavy rain ensured canola was blossoming at levels unseen for years.
“The trick is to get the canola to flower for as long as you can and that’s been the big thing this year,” Mr Sharkey said.
“You need pretty much perfect conditions, so once it starts to flower it’s nice to have it cool and moist and that’s what’s happened through August and even September.
“The longer it flowers, each flower could mean a seed head and more seed heads we get, the more canola.”
Canola is Australia’s third largest broadacre crop behind wheat and barley. Victoria produces more than 350,000 tonnes of canola a year, with a state crop value of $100 million.
