PLANTING has started in many of Australia’s cotton-growing regions, with some crops already out of the ground in warmer climates.

Some growers are holding back for warmer weather, while some in tropical areas will not be planting until rain begins to fall.

Cotton Australia general manager Michael Murray said the signs for this season are positive with Australia’s 1500 cotton growers, 90 percent of them family farmers, expecting to pick around 4.4 million bales, or one million tonnes of fibre, bound for export, as well as cottonseed for the domestic and export markets.

“This year we are expecting about 400,000 green hectares to be planted, predominantly in New South Wales and Queensland, with crops also being planted in the Northern Territory and Western Australia,” Mr Murray said.

Planting usually occurs in early October in the core growing areas, but with a wide range of geographic areas now growing cotton, planting dates are widespread.

The global outlook for cotton is stable, with a recent uptick in cotton futures attributed to potential damage to the US crop due to storms and heavy rain and a surprise reduction to US production forecasts.

“Despite the global situation, we are still selling our cotton to a market wanting high-quality product and we are experiencing good buyer support from across Asia, including China.”

With good soil-moisture profiles and water availability, Mr Murray said growers were expecting to turn a profit from the crop now being planted.

In the Central Highlands of Queensland, where growers have the option of starting to plant as early as August 1, planting is well under way, with some growers already witnessing healthy plant growth as crops emerge from the ground.

Emerald grower and Cotton Australia Board chair Nigel Burnett said with carryover from last season and a welcome allocation from Fairbairn Dam, growers are confident.

“We had unseasonal rainfall in August and that enabled a good chunk of the area to be moisture planted, saving farmers from the initial flush-up irrigation, and those crops are now out of the ground and looking very good,” Mr Burnett said.

“Since planting, the conditions have been warming up and growers are confident about the prospects for the season at this stage.

“I have planted more than 700 hectares so far, and if there’s more rainfall over the coming weeks and months, I would look at planting more cotton into late October, November or even December.”

Cotton Australia’s regional managers, based in each of the cotton growing regions, have provided up-to-date reports on each region as of September 27:

Central Highlands

Cotton planting started several weeks ago, and crops are out of the ground in some areas, with some growers already undertaking first irrigations.

Crops are looking healthy, and plant stands are looking strong.

Planting conditions were good, and many fields were planted on rain followed by warm weather, which has seen plants coming out of the ground within days.

Around 20,000ha of irrigated cotton and 4000ha of dryland is expected for the region.

Ginning of current crop will continue through to November, with some cotton still being carted into the gin from northern Qld growers.

Dawson and Callide valleys

Some growers have started planting the expected 8500ha of irrigated cotton, and some have already finished planting, while others will plant in October.

Dryland growers are expected to plant in November.

There has been a good start to planting, with full allocations helping get the season off to a positive start.

Darling Downs

One grower has already planted 400ha of the total crop which is expected to comprise 30,000ha of irrigated and 5000ha of dryland.

Recent rain has been welcomed, but the cool weather means most growers will hold off planting until warmer temperatures in October.

Macintyre Valley

Growers will be looking to start planting from next week, when soil temperatures will have risen.

Growers are expected to plant about 20,000ha of irrigated and 8000ha of dryland.

Recent rain will not affect cotton planting.

St George/Dirranbandi/Mungindi

Conditions have been unusual, with temperatures below average.

In St George, one grower has already planted 350ha of cotton, with the majority expected to begin planting by October 7.

The St George region is expected to plant 22,000ha of cotton, Dirranbandi 15,000ha, and Mungindi 18,000ha.

Northern NSW

Minor rainfall has been welcomed by growers.

Generally speaking, growers are getting ready for planting which will start in the first two weeks of October.

The valleys would like some more rainfall, but soil-moisture profiles beneath the surface are satisfactory.

Bourke is expecting to plant 9000ha of cotton this season, while Walgett is expected to plant 8000ha of irrigated cotton and up to 8000ha of dryland.

The Lower Namoi Valley is forecast to plant around 25,000ha of dryland and 30,000ha of  irrigated, while the Upper Namoi is looking at 15,000ha irrigated and 17,000 ha dryland.

In the Gwydir Valley, planting of 45,000ha of irrigated and 33,000ha of dryland is expected.

Macquarie Valley

Small amounts of recent rain have not been enough to eliminate the need for pre-watering now under way ahead of planting expected to start for most growers from October 18.

This has been a different season, with one grower picking the last of their cotton crop as others plan to start planting an area estimated at 30,000ha.

Ginning is expected to finish at the end of October.

Southern NSW

Up to 25mm of rain has fallen recently in the area, and some growers have already started planting this week, but the majority will start planting in early to mid-October.

Around 85,000ha is expected to be planted this season.

Northern Australia

Up to 80mm of rain has fallen recently in parts of the Top End and temperatures are up to around 40 degrees Celsius.

Crop destruction is under way and will continue this month.

The NT planting window opens December 1 and can continue into January, depending on the tropical rain system.

In Kununurra in WA, planting is expected to take place in February, with 8000ha expected to go in and 18,000ha expected in the NT.

Source: Cotton Australia