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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-09-20 Daily Xml
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Grain Crops

Ms COOK (Fisher) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, how are the state's grain crops performing?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:07): As good as it is to be back in this place, one of the good things about having a few weeks out of here is that it gives us all the opportunity to get out and have a look around the state. I have been over to Eyre Peninsula and up to the Flinders Ranges, to Kangaroo Island, down to the Mallee, the Upper South-East and to Balaklava, and everywhere I have been I have seen fantastic crops. It is terrific.

Last week in particular, it was good to be in Keith and Bordertown, where they have had a couple of horrendous seasons. To see the crops down there doing so well is terrific. They say that Kangaroo Island is having one of their best seasons for a long time as well. I was in the Riverland last week—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: So was Nick Xenophon.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes, they like Nick up there. I was at the field days in Barmera, and people are very optimistic up there. We have seen these fantastic crops. Obviously, we need to keep our fingers crossed that we get the right sorts of conditions through the rest of spring—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is on thin ice.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —because, as farmers know, you can't count the harvest until it's in the silos. What we have is the latest crop report that comes out every second month.

Mr Pengilly: Talk about the wheat price—that's not good.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: You always find something to whinge about, member for Finniss, don't you? You could be in a spa with a bottle of champagne and you would still whinge. I am pleased to say that South Australia is heading towards its eighth consecutive above average crop, with a 2016-17 estimate at 8.9 million tonnes, worth an estimated $1.8 billion at the farm gate. I think that is great news for all South Australians. Whether you live in the country or the city, everyone in South Australia benefits when farms are doing well and we have great crops.

The Crop and Pasture Report, produced by Primary Industries and Regions SA, shows rainfall and growing conditions have been ideal, as we know, in most districts across the state, with above average yields predicted in all districts. The long-term 10-year average crop production is 6.9 million tonnes. We put that up last year because we had had those seven consecutive years of above 10-year average. That has gone up 6.9 million; 8.9 million is the estimate this year. In fact, the harvest is on track to be the third biggest crop on record.

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: This is the one we're putting up online today. This is the latest report. I always like to inform the parliament first, sir. The childish member for Schubert, he gets on and googles and everything else. Google it in 10 minutes, mate, and then you will find it.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Let your fingers do the walking.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes. The harvest is on track to be the third biggest crop on record after the 2010-11 crop of 10.3 million tonnes and the 2001-02 crop of 9.4 million tonnes. I think it is now time that we all cross our fingers and hope for good finishing conditions and for no pests to turn up. Let's hope our farmers have an absolute bumper crop this year because, as I said, the whole state does well when our farmers do well. Our government is a great friend of the farmers.

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide, incorporating Walkerville.

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