Northern NSW sorghum growers overcome harvest challenges as market firms

Plenty of rain and an overall milder summer have assisted growers such as Spring Ridge's Jim Russell achieve higher yields than first anticipated.

When speaking to The Land in February, Mr Russell was hopeful his crops of Barenbrug's HG-114 and Pacific Seeds' Taurus varieties would deliver returns of six or seven tonnes per hectare.

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However, he was delighted to find the crop of HG-114 sorghum planted on his property Neiluan yielded more than 9t/ha.

"We way underestimated how well that crop would go, it was really amazing," Mr Russell said.

"I think most of us thought the country would be a bit sweeter, so to speak, after coming out of a two or three year drought, but surprisingly we had massive nitrogen levels.

"In fact, we didn't need to put any fertiliser on that block, the nitrogen was so high.

"It was a bit bizarre because we've experienced a few droughts in my time but I never seen fertility like that it was just unbelievable and when coupled with plenty of rain and a milder summer, it provided ideal conditions."

Despite only harvesting the 220ha at Neiluan, Mr Russell said he was confident the 200ha of Pacific Seeds' Taurus variety on his property Andamooka would also yield well.

"We haven't quite finished harvesting that one yet because it has been a bit too wet," he said.

"However, the first crop yielded 9.2t/ha and normally if we get six or seven we're pretty happy, so we're hoping the other one can follow suit and yield really well for us as well.

"We had a trial called Resolute and it also yielded 7.9t/ha, which was also really pleasing.

"All in all it has been a really pleasing return after a few tough years due to drought, and I think the best thing about it is the fact everyone who planted something did quite well out of it."

Broun & Co director and grain marketing specialist Wal Broun, Armidale, said export demand had helped lift the price of sorghum.

"At the moment, interest in sorghum from China for the purposes of alcohol production has helped its price remain higher than the likes of barley and wheat," Mr Broun said.

"However, it has been a difficult harvest for many producers due to mice infestation and recent heavy rainfall, so some of the later-sown crops will have had to have taken a $10-$15 a tonne.

"Some of the Northern NSW producers closer to the port of Brisbane could be looking at $305-$310t, so it is still quite high but it depends on the quality of the product and how it has been impacted by those setbacks at harvest."

Mr Broun said the impact of the widespread mice plague was now being felt by producers.

"There has been quite a bit of downgrading of crops due to the mice plague because there has been mice droppings found in some of the screenings," he said.

"Those crops have probably not reached the prices of some of the better early-sown crops, which were bringing a $40-$60 premium over barley.

"It has been a challenging harvest for many and I think a reasonable expectation for a price ex-farm would be $280t, but it could peak closer to the $305-$310t mark depending on quality and proximity to Brisbane."

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