HARVEST on the Eyre Peninsula has been a mixed bag, and will produce 1.78 million tonnes of grain, according to EP Grain general manager Julian Speed.
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In the northern and western Eyre Peninsula there were "poor yields but high protein".
"After a reasonable start to the growing season for northern EP and the far West Coast, many growers were disappointed with their final yield results," he said.
"Almost all farmers from Poochera through to beyond Ceduna recorded well-below normal spring rainfall, although thanks to stronger grain prices the year will be remembered as average, rather than poor.
"Further west, Nundroo growers fared slightly better. with many wheat crops yielding around 1 tonne to the hectare and high protein recorded in most deliveries."
In a year when eastern Australia's wheat protein levels had been slightly below average, high protein was good news for the Thevenard port-zone growers.
"There have been encouraging levels of high-protein sales into South East Asian nations and there is also interest coming out of East Africa," Mr Speed said.
"As part of the Emerald grain marketing network, EP Grain continues to build relationships with international customers looking for high-quality milling wheat from South Australia."
Charra graingrowers Milton and Tracey Chandler said they were lucky to have experienced a mild finish to the season, despite the lack of rain.
"Overall, we're pleasantly surprised," Mr Chandler said.
"The quality of our wheat was extremely high and the kind weather in November allowed us a really good run at harvest, so we got finished in good time."
Mr Speed said central EP was a mixed bag for crops.
"Central EP had the most varied yield and grain quality this harvest," he said.
"Darke Peak and Rudall growers reported very mixed results in wheat, with many paddocks yielding significantly better than expected after the dry spring. Unfortunately, these paddocks had generally disappointing protein levels. For example, the Mace variety yielded well against expectations, but recorded protein levels as much as 1 percentage point below other varieties."
Barley performed well north of Lock and Cleve.
* More in Stock Journal's January 3 edition.
