Western Australia’s canola crop is heading for a record year, with growers chasing profit margins in an early season that has delivered new-crop bids hitting $801 a tonne.

Satellite data shows the size of the canola crop in that state is 2.3 million hectares, which is 4.5 per cent above the previous record of 2.2 million ha set in 2022.

Across Australia’s 33.8 million ha of potential winter cropping land, 20.4 million ha, or 60 per cent, had reached establishment by June 26.

Digital Agricultural Services earth observations lead Sam Atkinson said that was well ahead of the 2020-25 average of 17.4 million ha for this point in the season, and the 13.9 million ha established at the same time last year.

Western Australia was now 62 per cent established, up from 39 per cent just two weeks earlier and slightly ahead of the 59 per cent established at the same time last year.

Mr Atkinson said South Australia was 82 per cent established, compared with 10 per cent at the same time last year and a 2020-25 average of 40 per cent for this point in the season. Victoria was 71 per cent established, well ahead of its 2020-25 average of 36 per cent and far above the 23 per cent established at the same time in 2025.

NSW was 48 per cent established, slightly behind its 2020-25 average of 52 per cent, but ahead of the 43 per cent established at the same time last year.

Queensland remained the furthest behind, with 24 per cent of paddocks established compared with a 2020-25 average of 49 per cent and 61 per cent at the same time last year.

“The WA canola number is the one that stands out, it has already passed the previous record, and there is still growth expected in the central and eastern Kwinana South zone that should come through over the next few weeks,” Mr Atkinson said.

Western Australian grain grower Barry Large of Miling said the swing towards canola and away from wheat was evident on the ground.

“I sold canola yesterday for a new-crop price of $801,” he said. “That is a very good price, and even at below average yields there is still a margin to be had there,” he said.

In addition to the satellite imagery survey results, the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia June crop report also put the state’s canola area at 2.33 million hectares, up from 1.65 million hectares at the same time in 2025. The report stated that there had been a big swing out of wheat and into canola because of the early rain and the strong start to the season.

The same report put WA’s wheat area at 3.675 million hectares, compared with 4.4 million hectares at the same time last year.