WHILE drier-than-average weather across the North Coast has provided for big pasture hay cuts in places, demand is still far outstripping supply, with most of what has been produced consumed on-farm.
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Cereal hay is now virtually impossible to source but had been making up to $400/tonne plus GST, delivered Northern Rivers.
Small amounts of lucerne are being brought in from South Australia, commanding as much as $550/t, according to Casino hay trader John Crompton.
Beef producers, dairy farmers and hobby farmers are all in the market at above-average levels.
Mid North Coast fodder contractor David Gibson, Upper Dorrigo, said the lack of floods and continual rain through autumn has meant he would likely cut 10,000 large round bales this season across a number of mostly dairy farms, compared to his normal 7000 to 8000.
That is despite yields being on par or below average in most cases.
Most of that was pasture hay and two-thirds would be fed out by the grower, he said.
"Some growers, particular east of Bellingen, got a good start in October but for the most part yields were looking very ordinary up until the new year when small amounts of rain started to lift things," Mr Gibson said.
"We've had a lot of inquiry from outside this area but what little has been offered for sale mostly stayed on the coast or Tableands."
It sold for up to $90 a bale, or $270/t dry matter, for the higher quality fodder.
Many coastal growers are now planting ryegrass back into hay paddocks.
No planting, however, is happening across the big hay-producing regions of South East Queensland following no effective rain for more than three months.
Neville Janke, from fodder marketer Feed Central at Charlton, Qld, said lucerne, at up to $600/t and cereal hay, at up to $460/t was being pulled in from South Australia and Victoria but competition in those southern markets was now starting to drive prices up.
Local sorghum stubble was being baled and sold for 150/t at the farm, he said.
Even the cottage market was running short with small squares of lucerne trading for up to $20 a bale, more than double this time last year.