Canola: Overview in the Australian Domain

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)

Production of canola in Australia has increased dramatically to an average of three million metric tonnes (MMT) per year. Canola is Australia’s major oilseed crop and is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia’s grain belt. The growing area extends from south-west Western Australia to south-eastern Australia, and into northern New South Wales.

Australian canola is sought after globally for its use as a food-grade oil, for biofuel production and as a stock feed. Australian canola production is on the rise; averaging more than three million metric tonnes annually, making up 15–20 per cent of the world’s export trade. Canola is well known for producing one of the world’s healthiest vegetable oils and its importance as an environmentally-friendly biofuel is growing. 

Australian canola is grown using sustainable farming systems and can be certified as meeting sustainability criteria for market access to Europe for use in biofuel. Geographically, Australia is well placed to supply the export markets of Asia with high-quality canola for oil and meal production. Australia supplies more than 2.5–3 MMT of canola (15–20 per cent of the world’s trade) to Europe, China, Pakistan, Japan and other international markets annually.

As the world’s second-largest exporter of canola seed, Australia’s exports consistently exceed one million tonnes. Our canola crop has grown to a size and quality that meets the high expectations of exporters, domestic crushers and intensive livestock producers. A minor crop in the late 1980s, canola is now Australia’s third-largest broadacre crop (after wheat and barley).