Growing oats in Victoria

The choice to grow oats compared to other crops is as important as the selection of an appropriate variety.

Oats are often thought of as an 'easy' crop to grow but attention to detail is required to produce high yields and quality.

Oats respond to proper paddock selection, nutrition and disease control as much as other cereals

Weed control options remain limited compared to other cereal crops and timely grain harvest is important as most varieties shed their grain easily.

The option of oats for hay is becoming increasingly popular in some regions where growers have identified it as profitable and as a tool to manage herbicide resistance. Independent comparative data on variety performance for hay is limited. In some years oaten hay for export or domestic purposes can be can be more profitable than grain.

See the Victorian winter crop summary for an up to date guide to oat varieties and last season's yield results.

Food markets can have specifications for variety and quality attributes at delivery, consider having a forward contract.