Oats

The major markets for Australian milling oats are China, Mexico, India, and Japan. 

Western Australian feed oats are well received by international markets, particularly the growing Middle Eastern and Japanese racehorse industries. 

WA produces about 40% of Australia's export hay – most of which is sent to Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan to support their livestock and dairy industries. A similarly high proportion of Australia's milling oats are also produced by Western Australia. 

The department is a partner within the National Oat Breeding Program, which is responsible for breeding and developing new oat grain and hay varieties with superior yield and quality.

Oat milk

Production

Western Australia produces around 600,000 tonnes of oaten grain and about 600,000 tonnes of cereal hay each year, the majority of which is oaten. Significant amounts of hay and oaten grain are retained on-farm and traded domestically. 

WA oats have an excellent reputation, both nationally and internationally, for their high quality and milling capabilities.  

End users recognise the aesthetic features of the grain (brightness and plump characteristics of the grain) and the high groat levels (soft inner grain remaining when the husk is removed from harvested grain). 

Hay yield and quality are a major focus of the National Oat Breeding program and the department screens varieties suited to WA conditions for quality, disease resistance and agronomic traits on behalf of the program. 

Health benefits

Oat fibre has been shown to help reduce cholesterol, and there is a growing promotion of oats as a health food - a movement that could help diversify market opportunities. For example, oats are being used in new Asian products including oat noodles, oat milk and oat health care products. 

Oat varieties grown in WA are bred specifically for their flavour and aroma when processed, as well as their high milling yield.  

The department is a member of the National Oat Breeding Program, delivering research and variety evaluation trials across the WA wheatbelt. 

Exports

Grain

Typically, 25% of the WA oat crop is retained on-farm as animal feed, with a further 25% being used in the domestic feed trade in compound feed rations for a range of livestock uses, however there is a growing export demand for milling oats. 

Quality milling oats are exported directly from WA as grain or processed oats. The major markets for oats in 2023 were China, India, Kuwait, Mexico, and Israel. 

Most milling quality oats are exported for processing in destination markets, but a significant quantity is also processed prior to export, adding significant value to this grain sector. 

Oat flakes, bran and seeds

About 150,000 tonnes of milling oats are processed domestically for export, with some also used domestically in the breakfast cereal, health bar, bakery, baby food and other emerging industries.  

Hay

WA produces over 40% of the nation's export hay generating over $120 million in export earnings to the state in recent years. 

Oaten hay exports are predominantly to Japan, South Korea, and China. With Asian markets expanding rapidly in recent years, consistent supply of high-quality hay is essential to WA growing its market share.