Wheat

Wheat production accounts for 70% of total cereal production in Western Australia with about seven million tonnes generated annually in a rain-fed system across four million hectares of land.

About 80% of WA wheat is exported - predominantly to Asia and the Middle East - generating $2 billion in annual export earnings for the state.

Yields of WA-bred premium wheat varieties have risen by 1% per year during the past 30 years, a rate higher than world average.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has a strong research, development and extension focus on wheat production through its long history in wheat breeding (now privatised through Intergrain) and the development of wheat variety management packages for the state’s grain production zones.