DRYLAND cotton is set to expand as growers order an extra 300 tonnes of seed following widespread rain in North West NSW.
Another 30,000 hectares of dryland cotton will be planted in NSW by the end of the month, taking the total dryland crop to 50,000ha and making up a fifth of the total Australian cotton planting covering 250,000ha.
Growers in the Namoi Valley jumped at the chance to make use of the rain, while those in the Macintyre who have access to supplementary river flows have planted more irrigated cotton.
Growers in all valleys are also planting semi-irrigated cotton.
For many growers at Walgett, Rowena and Burren Junction, it’s the first time they’ve planted dryland cotton for three years.
They’re making the most of available water by planting in double skip, single skip and super skip configurations.
Cotton Australia chief executive Adam Kay said the lower Namoi Valley would have more dryland cotton planted than irrigated cotton this season.
We’re now looking at a crop of about 250,000ha to produce 2.2 million bales worth about $1.2 billion
- - Cotton Australia chief executive officer Adam Kay
“That’s an indication of how dry Keepit and Split Rock dams are and the value of the recent rain,” Mr Kay said.
“We’re now looking at a crop of about 250,000ha to produce 2.2 million bales worth about $1.2 billion.”
Ninety millimetres of rain two weeks ago has allowed James Moore, “Walma”, Walgett, to plant another 50ha of cotton on an irrigated field.
“Some growers, like myself, don’t quite have the profile to plant dryland but we’re hoping to semi-irrigate.
“We picked up a bit of water from storms. Now I’m hoping we get a bit more rain to irrigate properly.”
Ken, Judy and John Stump, “Windella”, Rowena, have planted their first dryland cotton crop since 2011-12.
“We made the decision to have dryland cotton in our rotation that year, but it hasn’t rained since,” Ken Stump said.
About 200ha was dry sown on the promise of rain three weeks ago, and planters were going again last week following 55mm of rain a fortnight ago. About 1400ha of dryland cotton was planted, 530ha in irrigation fields.
“We’re treating it as a dryland crop but we may get the opportunity to irrigate if we wanted to,” Mr Stump said.