As the engines of the last headers out in the paddocks are turned off and grain trucks make their final unloading run to CBH bins, grain receivals are expected to easily reach 12.6 million tonnes this week.

More receivals are expected, particularly along the south coast, where rain earlier this week again hampered harvest operations.

But at Geraldton, the last deliveries this week pushed receivals to 2.585mt, 50,000t ahead of the record 2.58mt set in 2003-04. Last year, the port zone received only 422,807t.

Estimates of the state's total put the final figures close to 13mt, 1.7mt below the 2003-04 record harvest of 14.7mt, but ahead of the 12.5mt effort in 2005-06.

The state record came off a planted area of 5.6mt compared with a state record 6.5m/ha established last year.

This provides an indication that given even an average year a figure on the high side of 16mt is possible.

It is conceivable that more than 6.5m/ha will be planted this year given many farmers cut back on programs last year because of a dry May and June.

Spraying is well underway throughout the state, while in drier areas spray rigs are ready to swing into action in the hope of rain events over the next six weeks.