News In an effort to help NSW farmers battling the mouse plague, rebates are being offered for zinc phosphide baits
DATA Zinc phosphide rebates on offer in NSW as threats of a nation-wide mouse plague loom
Re-bait Primary producers affected by the ongoing mouse plague in New South Wales are eligible for rebates on zinc phosphide baits. Under the scheme, the government will provide a 50 per cent rebate for the purchase costs of zinc phosphide up to a value of $10,000. To be eligible, primary producers must have purchased the baits between January 1 and December 17 this year to aid in the efforts to control the plague. Recipients must also have demonstrated financial hardship as a result of compounding financial strains, including the plague, bushfires, floods and the pandemic. Applicants must live in one of the eligible local government areas, have a total business income from primary production of at least $20,000 and must not have gross off-farm assets exceeding $5 million. Applications for the rebate can be submitted as a single claim and can be made online via the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) prior to December 17. NSW agriculture minister Adam Marshall urged farmers to take up the rebate offer, saying the government had worked with NSW Farmers to ensure the eligibility requirements are fit for purpose. “Zinc phosphide is the best tool we have in managing the mice plague in crops, so this rebate will go a long way to support our growers, covering some of those costs,” he says. “I urge farmers to start monitoring mice numbers on their farms right now and start planning how they will manage the impacts as the population increases as we approach harvest.” NSW Farmers vice president Xavier Martin echoed the statement. “NSW Farmers have advocated tirelessly for this financial support since February and, along with the CWA of NSW, pursued a shared responsibility in combatting this plague, resulting in $150 million worth of mouse plague support packages announced by the NSW government,” he says. “We do continue to call on the reallocation of funds not used for the defunct bromadiolone baiting scheme to be put into Mouse Bait Rebate Package. The mouse plague of 2021 is clearly not over and farmers will need all the support they can get.” The news comes as an August update released by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation showed that mouse numbers were “moderate to high in many regions of WA, NSW, Victoria and Queensland”. “[A] moderate or high number of mice is a serious concern for this time of year. Urgent action is required to minimise damage and losses.” The update says farmers should consider zinc phosphide baiting before seed set if mouse damage is evident to maturing crops – as the animals are more reluctant to go for baits once seeds have developed. “Talk to bait suppliers and ask for 50g ZnP/kg bait to ensure best chance of success. Be aware there are significant lead times in some locations so talk to your supplier.” Farmers are also urged to actively monitor mouse activity by using mouse chew cards or taking a walk through crops. You can also report and map mouse activity through Mouse Alert – find out more at www. mousealert.org.au.
COTTON Steady prices and good seasonal conditions paint a rosy picture for Australia’s cotton industry in the year ahead
Thread count Australia is on track to produce its largest cotton crops on record next year, according to agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank. The industry analysts suggest excellent seasonal conditions and strong prices have continued to fuel the positive outlook for the cotton sector, with early predictors looking favourably on the year ahead. Already, early planted-area forecasts predict a substantial increase for cotton in 2021–22, with estimates of an increase anywhere from 49 per cent to in excess of 80 per cent year-on-year. Senior commodity analyst Cheryl Kalisch Gordon says the early signs are promising. “The high end of these forecasts would bring planted hectares near the fourth-largest on record – a welcome second year of improvement after 2019–20 the second-lowest planted area in 40 years,” says Kalisch Gordon. “So, a good-looking position for Australia to come back and we think around 4.5 million bales is a reasonable expectation for next year. “[The] real challenge might be getting cotton planted in wet conditions and then ensuring the sun shines over the growing season.” Rabobank also says it’s not just the forecast that appears favourable for the cotton sector, but the
Australia is on track to produce one of its largest cotton crops ever due to favourable weather and strong prices
steadiness of the already strengthened prices. In Australia, cotton prices have lifted six per cent during July, reaching as high as A$600/tonne – the first time the crop had done so since the COVID-19 pandemic reached Australia. “ICE#2’s consolidation above USc 85/lb and the AUD tracking mostly sideways at the lower range in June were key to this lift, and we expect these two factors to remain in play for the second half of this year,” says Kalisch Gordon. While these prices are likely to contract as more US cotton becomes available in late 2021, Rabobank forecasts they will remain 10 per cent above the five-yearly average of USc 80/lb. “Our expectation that the AUD will trade in the range of USc 73 to USc 74 in Q1 through to Q3 2022 supports Australian cash prices trading around A$580/bale in 2022,” says Kalisch Gordon. Other factors believed to be contributing to Australia’s favourable cotton forecast include the above-average soil moisture prevalent in much of New South Wales’ cotton-growing regions. Improved water storage capacity in the Murray Darling Basin, which is now above 70 per cent and continues to increase daily, is also said to be a factor and will likely lead to expanded irrigated cotton programs. Forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology have also indicated a 70 per cent change of above-average rainfall in cotton-growing regions between August and November.
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