How are you feeling about the season ahead?
The potential for this year is enormous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen prices as high as they are at the moment, so the potential for huge income has never been better.
The prices for canola, lentils and wheat are all through the roof, so all we have to do is grow it. The potential for growing a crop this year looks good, because there’s northern-hemisphere drought in
America and other places, while it looks like the weather events here would indicate a wetter year.
I’m pretty confident we’ll have a reasonably good year, and huge prices. We don’t often get the opportunity to have good crops and good prices in the same year, so there’s huge opportunity.
How have increased fuel and other costs affected farmers?
The price of fertiliser and all our inputs has gone through the roof as well, so it’s going to cost a lot of money to grow a crop this year. But the potential is there for a big reward if you do.
I think farmers should take the gamble this year and throw everything at it to try and grow a good crop.
The increased costs have an impact, but if you multiply that out to cost-per-hectare, and then compare that to the cost-per-hectare from the inflated grain prices, this is the best place to be because the potential income from the inflated prices are going to be huge.
That will more than make up for the higher input costs. So, you need to factor that into it and look at it from a cost-per-hectare basis of growing a crop, and the potential income from a good crop. Then it looks very positive.
Will you be dry sowing again this year?
It’s dead bone dry here, so it won’t come up until it rains, but we’ve had really good results with dry sowing canola and lentils particularly, so we’re quite happy to do that.
We’ve had enough rain earlier in the year to give us sub-soil moisture, so all we’ll need is a 20mm or 30mm start to the season, then all that moisture will link up and we’ll be looking good.
Are GM varieties becoming more popular?
There’s more and more GM canola being grown in this area every year, so it’s catching on quite well.
I’m not seeing people go overboard with it, and they’re using it carefully as a tool for weed control and other reasons. There will be a gradual increase over time… as people grow it and have good experiences with it.
What are the main challenges for farmers this season?
The biggest challenge at the moment is getting all your inputs, such as fertiliser, all your chemicals, or any spare parts you need. Tractor tyres are really hard to get, because a lot of stuff isn’t available.
We’ve got a new truck ordered, and we may or may not get it within the next 12 months.
Labour is pretty hard to get as well. If you need a part-time person, it’s pretty hard to get anybody.
Any advice at this stage?
Farmers have got to be optimists and farm for a good year, but my gut feeling is this year has the potential to be a lot better than average.
When you’ve got those things in your favour, have a go at it. Make sure you’ve got good weed control, good nutrient management, and you’re growing the right varieties.
