Western Australia
October 31, 2006
As with all crops this harvest,
oat receivals and oat grain quality are expected to be well down
on normal.
The short supply of oats this year is expected to result in
increased pressure for export and domestic milling markets.
The
Western Oat Alliance (WOA) acknowledges that the exceptional
circumstances experienced this year could result in marketers
seeking varieties not normally accepted into the milling
segregation.
WOA chairman Ray Marshall explained, “Normally the oat industry
would prefer to maintain these segregations to preserve the
integrity of the milling stack. However, with supply expected to
be well down, marketers may seek traditional feed (Oat 2)
varieties such as Wandering and provisional milling varieties
such as Kojonup for milling markets.”
“These varieties would still be required to meet the current
milling (Oat 1) standards. For this coming season growers are
allowed up to 15% screenings and a minimum hectolitre weight of
51 kg/hl for delivery as Oat 1,” Mr Marshall said. “This
scenario and change in standards would only be in place for this
harvest and we would expect segregations to return to normal
next year.”
The new provisional milling variety Kojonup is yet to complete
industry milling evaluation. Whilst some samples of Kojonup have
been assessed overseas, the sample scheduled for testing in
Western Australia early this year did not meet the milling
standards. As a consequence the trial has been delayed, delaying
classification until 2007.
AgraCorp Oat Marketing Manager Jason Craig said the GrainPool is
currently accumulating tonnage of Kojonup for milling trials.
The milling trials are scheduled to be conducted early in the
New Year at the Quaker Oats plant in Forrestfield.
“The WOA has made the milling evaluation of Kojonup a priority,”
Mr Craig said. “The grain for the evaluation trials still needs
to meet milling standards. If it doesn’t, particularly due to
seasonal circumstances, the trial will be delayed another 12
months to ensure a fair trial.”
The WOA has acknowledged the risks associated with releasing
varieties as provisional.
“Growers are expected to take a chance on a new variety that it
might pass industry trials and be accepted as a milling
variety,” said Mr Marshall. “Should a variety not be accepted or
trials delayed as with the case of Kojonup, growers can get
frustrated and disappointed.”
To prevent this situation occurring with future oat releases,
the WOA has endorsed recommendations for a milling evaluation
protocol for newly released varieties into
Western Australia.
Mr Marshall said any oat variety earmarked for the
Western Australian
milling industry
will be required to undergo industry milling evaluation prior to
the release. |