The AIMI survey of New Zealand cereal growers, as at 1 April 2024 is now available online.
Key Points as at 1 April 2024 (figures have been rounded to nearest 100):
- Overall, harvest yields were up 4% compared to last season (averaged over all six crops). A similar number of hectares was harvested as compared to last season (0.4% down), and the net result was that total tonnage was up 3% compared to last season.
- On the survey farms, the 2024 harvest of milling wheat was 100% completed by 1 April, with feed wheat harvest 99.7% complete, malting barley 99%, feed barley 93%, milling oats 89% and feed oats 78% complete by 1 April.
- Carry-over stocks (both sold and unsold) of feed wheat and feed barley were higher on 1 April than in the previous three years. Unsold stocks on hand of last year’s feed wheat and feed barley crops were 2.1% and 2.5% of the 2023 harvest tonnages, respectively.
- Stocks of unsold feed wheat from the current harvest are up 46% on unsold stocks at this time last year. Unsold stocks of feed barley are up 6% as compared to this time last year, unsold stocks of milling wheat are up 7%, and unsold stocks of malting barley are down 11%.
- Autumn/winter sowings of feed wheat are predicted to be down 1,900 hectares on predicted sowings a year ago, while feed barley autumn/winter sowings are predicted to be down by 2,700 ha. Milling wheat autumn/winter sowings are predicted to be down by 1,000 ha, malting barley up by 200 ha, milling oats down by 170 ha, and feed oats up by 540 ha. However, these predictions are based mostly on intentions as over all six crops, only 1.2% (all feed wheat) had been sown by 1 April 2024.