COTTON growers in southern New South Wales valleys are eyeing another bumper season as planting wraps up across the region.

As Australia’s most southernmost cotton-growing area, it is expected to plant 83,000-85,000ha, against the area picked this season of 83,000ha.

Cotton Australia southern NSW regional manager Tom Mannes said after a cold, dry September, temperatures increased enough for growers to kick planting off in late September to early October.

“It was a cold September, but since planting has really gotten into gear there has been relatively good conditions,” Mr Mannes said.

“It’s a fairly big year, as we still have very good water availability at the moment.”

Growers in the Murrumbidgee are estimated to be 80-90 percent through planting, while the Murray region is slightly behind at about 70pc complete.

Sefton Agronomics agronomist Ella Arnold said planting was on the “home stretch” with hopes that 100pc of the area will go in before the predicted rain event in coming days.

“We’ve got a rain front coming through in the next 48 hours…but I’d say the majority of the crop will be in prior to this rain front which will be good timing,” Ms Arnold said.

She said the warm, sunny weather from last week gave the planted cotton a strong start.

She said one client had seen emergence within eight days.

“It’s incredible for down here; we are normally 21 days before emergence.”

Expanded Murray area

Ms Arnold said overall planted areas were similar to last season due to “minimal back-to-back” and “a lot of fresh ground”, but there was some additional interest from growers in the lower parts of southern NSW.

“There has probably been an increase in the Murray region, in the deep south of NSW.

“There’s been a big uptake in putting cotton in under overhead irrigation and…probably the biggest increase in area has been under laterals and pivots and overhead irrigation.

“I think there is a lot of overhead infrastructure in the Murray region where it is really a winter-crop dominant area.

“They’re sort of getting on the cotton bandwagon…still putting it under irrigation but not traditional flood system; they are actually able to bring it in under overhead irrigation.”

ABARES September Crop Report forecasts NSW’s total cotton area to decrease year-on-year by 6pc.

Lower world cotton prices are expected to disincentivise plantings in 2024-25, with some growers expected to opt for alternative crops such as sorghum.

Yields are expected to be similar to 2023-24, supported by high water availability and a favourable rainfall outlook.

In a release earlier this month, Cotton Australia estimated that 400,000 green hectares will be planted across Queensland, NSW, the Ord and the Northern Territory this season.

This is expected to yield approximately 4.4 million bales, a drop on last season’s total of 4.5Mb, but still above average.

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