The broadleaf crops grown vary in the different regions of NSW. In the south, the main winter
pulse crops are lupins, field peas, and to a lesser extent chickpeas and faba beans. In the
northern areas, the main pulse crops are chickpeas and faba beans. The only significant winter
oilseed crop grown in rotation with cereals in both the north and the south is canola.
The key aims in this study are to assess the current level of importance of broadleaf crops in
winter cereal rotations in NSW, and to identify recent trends. In addition, a further aim is to
establish a basis on which the NSW Department of Primary Industries can monitor its future
performance in relation to a target figure for the importance of broadleaf crops. Thus, not only
is it important to establish recent trends and levels of the importance of broadleaf crops, but
also to enable continuing and on-going assessment of those levels. That requires the use of
data for the area and production of each crop that are readily available in a timely fashion
each year. For that reason, figures from the NSW Grains Report, based on estimates from
local District Agronomists, are used for the regional analysis in this study.
While NSW has a combination of winter and summer cropping, the focus in this study is on
the winter cropping systems. The area sown to winter crops is far greater than the total area
sown to summer crops in all regions, particularly in the southern regions of NSW. A separate
study of summer cropping systems is planned.