Sowing in full swing
By Craig Ednie
22nd April, 2024
In a blink of an eye harvest has gone for another season and sowing is well and truly underway for growers across the country. The sowing of Australia’s 24-25 crops is full steam ahead amidst a mixed of conditions.
As we know sowing dates are largely governed by climate and the requirements of a rotation. In general, the higher the latitude, the cooler the summer temperatures, the longer the potential cropping period and the earlier the drilling of autumn-sown crops.
For the best part we have seen grazing, vetch and canola crops being sown thus far, with canola being one of the first commodities to be sown early Autumn so it can be established, improving the yield potential of canola providing flowering date to be optimized. With good rainfalls and existing subsoil moisture, one could be very happy with the start of the season, but as we all know things can turn quickly and forecasts can change.
Large rainfalls across north-eastern Australia over recent weeks have seen sorghum harvest delayed and has caused concerns with quality issues and yields throughout. However, this could help provide further support for Australian barley price. Barley prices in Australia of late have increased, which seems to be driven by new season supply uncertainty and the recent events surrounding sorghum.
Globally, wheat prices have moved lower in 2024 on the expectation of reasonable crop production from the major exporting countries. The coming months will determine if this eventuates. Spring in the Northern Hemisphere is beginning to take shape and grain markets are looking for some information going forward on how the weather and the crop conditions will play out. This means from now until June the weather conditions will have a huge and significant outcome on global supplies and prices, which in turn will influence prices at home.
Local selling has slowed somewhat with growers under some pressure to get their winter crop sowing programs in the ground. Some growers, however, have been pro-active in actively offering their grain for sale at a price they will sell for. For now, though its heads down and bums on seats while we see the dirt turn and crops enter the ground for what we all can only hope for is another promising season ahead for all involved.
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