Grains

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).

Grains Research and Industry Development Projects

DPIRD strives to provide essential knowledge and tools to increase profitability, meet market requirements, and improve the economic development of WA.

Research is undertaken in collaborative projects with other state government agencies, universities, CSIRO, grower groups, growers, and commercial partners.

DPIRD Grains priority projects

2024 Crop Sowing Guide for WA

The Crop Sowing Guide for Western Australia is a one stop shop for variety information on all the major crops grown in Western Australia, compiled by officers in DPIRD.

This edition includes the major crops grown in WA – wheat, barley, canola, oat, lupins and pulses. The publication aims to provide information to support growers with decisions on the best choice of variety for each of the major crops for the upcoming season. The lupin and pulse sections also include an “agronomy guide” summary to support management decisions required for these high value industries.

Hardcopies of the 2024 Crop Sowing Guide for Western Australia are available from DPIRD offices and other agribusiness outlets. Learn more

Articles

Doublegee

3 February 2011

Doublegee or spiny emex is a significant weed in Western Australia. It is a vigorous annual herb with a strong tap root and a long, fleshy, hairless stem.
Silver grass

4 February 2011

Silver grass is an annual grass occurring in both cropping and grazing regions across Australia. There are several species, the most common being Vulpia myuros and V. bromoides.
Wild radish

18 May 2012

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is highly competitive in crops and can cause a yield loss of 10-90%.
Herbicide resistance

31 January 2011

Herbicide resistance is the inherited ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species.
Chemical weed control in canola

2 September 2020

The Chemical weed control in canola bulletin has been produced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with co-investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporat
Crop weeds: integrated weed management (IWM)

12 January 2011

In-crop weed competition causes losses costing around $1 billion per annum for Western Australia.
Crop weeds: controlling small weeds

14 January 2011

In an integrated weed management program, control of weeds should occur in the fallow, pre-sowing, early post-emergent and in pasture phases.
Managing weeds in emerging crops

17 August 2017

Following the extended dry conditions this autumn, weeds are now emerging and becoming a challenge for growers to manage in paddocks that may have patchy crops, crops with staggered emergence or no
Developing an integrated weed management (IWM) plan

15 February 2011

Integrated weed management (IWM) is a system for managing weeds over the long term, and is particularly useful for managing and minimising herbicide resistance.
Herbicide resistance and susceptibility testing

26 July 2016

Testing for herbicide susceptibility allows you to determine what herbicide options are still available to control weeds on your farm.