THE ESTABLISHMENT of broadacre farming in north-west Queensland has hit its latest hurdle with with native rats decimating promising grain crops over the past 12 months.

Rat damage comes on top of other challenges, namely high freight costs, long distances to port, and limited expertise in storing grain and agronomy.

The region’s harvest ended two weeks ago, and showed the impact rats have had on chickpeas, which flourish in the soils and climate of parts of north-west Qld.

On top of favourable prices, this year saw strong interest in the crop.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Cloncurry-based agronomist Angus Dalgliesh said the rat damage significantly cut the yields across the region.

“The general consensus was that it was a little disappointing,” Mr Dalgliesh said.

He said the rats “came in so hard and fast at the end” of the season, consuming the crops just before harvest.

“A rough estimate is there was anything from 1000-3000 rats a hectare.”

He said rats in the past year have damaged all crops planted in the region, from forage crops to cotton, grain sorghum, and mungbeans.

“There was one grower there who lost 1000ha of mungbeans that were irrigated.

“He didn’t put a header in…because there was nothing worth harvesting.

“I’ve had some pretty hard conversations with growers who have had crops impacted by rats.”

AgForce president-elect and north regional president Shane McCarthy said the increased uptake in growing sorghum and chickpeas has created a new food source for native rats.

“We have had a higher number of rats in the last 12 months as opposed to normal,” Mr McCarthy said.

“The rats started around Cloncurry and have slowly moved their way further and further east.”

Mr Dalgliesh said growers were able to bait for the native rat after the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) issued an emergency permit for zinc phosphide baits.

In force from 22 May 2024 to 31 May 2025, the permit allows growers to use the bait to curb long-haired rat numbers in grain and forage sorghum, cotton, mungbeans, and chickpea crops.

Lessons for next season

Mr Dalgliesh said growers will make changes to their farming operations following the disappointing harvest.

“We can plan to have more bait or be prepared for it.

“All the growers that I am dealing with are saying, ‘let’s have bait in the shed and let’s be prepared because it’s most likely going to happen again’.”

He said there was still optimism for cropping in north-west Qld, especially for growing chickpeas.

“There is still that optimism there; chickpeas are going to be one of the crops that probably support the grain industry and the development of northern agriculture because they grow really well.”

He said chickpeas were also currently more profitable than other grain crops, such as sorghum.

“We’ve tried some grain sorghum but the price per tonne and freight kills the margin.

“If we’re going to grow grain sorghum, we need to be growing big tonnages.”

Despite the crop damage, the size of the chickpea crop exported out the Port of Townsville was the largest handled by transport and logistics company Sizer & Cogill, which operates the only grain container-packing facility near the Port of Townsville.

The Sizer & Cogill facility has offered bulk-storage and container-packing services since 2020.

In mid-2023 the company began constructing a facility near the Port which includes a weighbridge and silos as well as a new storage shed and temporary storage pad.

Sizer & Cogill co-owner Jamie Sizer said the team finished packing the last of the crop in mid-September.

He said increased interest from districts regions such as Julia Creek and Richmond was driving larger tonnages through the port.

“The chickpea crop is the biggest we’ve had since it started because there are a lot more acres grown in that western area,” Mr Sizer said.

Freight challenges

Although Sizer & Cogill is filling one gap in the market, northern Queensland grain growers continue to face significant challenges in transporting their crops to market.

Currently grain can only be exported in containers via the Port of Townsville, creating higher freight costs for growers.

Mr Sizer said the company was working with the Port of Townsville to enable bulk grain exports.

He said it was anticipated that bulk exports could commence this year, but the regulatory process was not finalised in time.

“We will hopefully be up and running for April next year, all going well.”

Storages sought

North Qld’s up-country grain-storage options are limited, with Maxwelton Feed & Grain offering the only grain-handling facility in the region.

Located south of the Townsville-Mt Isa railway line at Maxelton, between Richmond and Julia Creek, it was completed in late 2023.

Earlier this year, the Qld Government provided $2 million in funding for the Richmond Shire Council to construct a common-use grain handling facility at Maxwelton.

Its proposed site is north of the railway line and, like the new cattle loading yards adjacent, will feature rail access to the Port of Townsville, with road access via the Flinders Highway an alternative.

Mr McCarthy said AgForce welcomed any new investment in the northern agricultural industry.

“The northern part of Australia is the last bastion of development that hasn’t been done.

“Any investment in the north is positive.”

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