ANNUAL wheat seed sowings in NSW are expected to be down on last year, as more farmers switch to higher-priced crops as the price of the grain falls.

State Industry & Investment department pulses and oilseeds expert Don McCaffrey said 2.84 million hectares of wheat were expected to be sowed in 2010, down 8 per cent from last year's estimate of 3.1 million hectares.

"It appears that some growers are moving from wheat to alternative pulse and oilseed crops due to the price outlook for wheat," he said.

Overall, the estimate for the state's winter crops is 4.9 million hectares, made up of 4.12 million hectares of cereals and 810,000ha of pulses and oilseeds.

Canola sowings are predicted to increase by 26 per cent to around 292,000ha, while pulses are forecast to rise by 25 per cent to almost 519,000ha.

Chickpeas will be the main beneficiary in the pulses category, with sowings expected to be up 41 per cent.

Mr McCaffery also said summer crop harvest estimates, excluding rice, were down overall.

"The harvest of summer crops is progressing well, with variable yields a result of variable summer growing conditions," he said.

But good summer rains means many farmers are well advanced on their winter crops sowing plans.

The department estimates were published today in the NSW Grains report.