WIDESPREAD soaking rain across the North Coast this week has been a huge boost for the region’s very promising soybean crop, while seasonal conditions continue to be favourable for the Riverina’s significantly increased plant, paving the way for NSW production to be more than double last season’s.
About 12,000 hectares have been sown around Casino, Grafton and Murwillumbah – 90 per cent of what is expected this season – with some sugar producers who had late-harvested cane or bogged out paddocks still working up ground for late-season soybeans.
North Coast Oilseeds Association president Brett Clift said it was a terrific early- and mid-planting window with good moisture prior to sowing, and regular but not excessive rain since.
“Very few replants were necessary and it is turning out to be a far better season that initially predicted – so far it’s one of the best we’ve seen in a while,” he said.
Cooler temperatures had been a bit of a disadvantage to growth but the heat which kicked in from the second week of January, followed by the timely rain, has crops looking very solid, he said.
“There have been a few little hurdles, such as monolepta beetles, and people need to be monitoring crops closely,” Mr Clift said.
“But overall there is optimism. Prices are looking reasonably promising. Growers should get a fair return for their efforts this year after some tough seasons, although we are a long way out yet and harvest time is critical.”
Despite the United States this week increasing its soybean yield forecasts, global production is still projected to be down 2.2 million tonnes due to dry weather in South America.
The reduced supply should help hold global prices – the Chicago Board of Trade bushel price has reached $US14.5 in the past few weeks, making the soybean market one of the better-performing commodities at the moment.
Soy Australia field officer Dr Joe Kochman said returns for NSW growers were expected to be in the low $400 a tonne range for crushing beans and up to $100 more for culinary grade.
Dr Kochman said soybean crops across the State appeared to be progressing well, with about 1000ha of production expected from the Northern Tablelands, 1200ha from the Narrabri and Gunnedah area and 600ha in the Lachlan and Macquarie Valleys.
A massive 8000ha went in on the Riverina, mostly at Coleambally and Finley, compared to just a few hundred hectares in the past few seasons.
NSW Department of Primary Industries agronomist at Coleambally Kieran O’Keefe said conditions had been ideal, with the right amount of heat and – to date – not a lot of insect pressure.
“There was a bit of concern at the start of the season with poor nodulation, but in general crops have picked up,” he said.
Crops had just moved into the flowering stage, a critical time when growers need to be vigilant monitoring for heliothis and green vegetable bug.
NSW sowings are now forecast at more than 25,000 hectares – more than double the area harvested last year due to floods and continual rain, but also higher than start-of-season predictions for the past few years.
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