Print This PageGrowing Interest in Dryland Cotton
There is renewed interest in dryland cotton from growers and industry this season. On the back of some good dryland cotton yields in 2008/09 many growers have made cotton their main choice this year.
In past seasons dryland cotton has made up as much as 20% of the total Australian crop with yields ranging from 2.5 bales/ha to 6 bales/ha. In good years, growers in higher rainfall regions such as the Darling Downs and the Upper Namoi can achieve yields similar to that of irrigated cotton.
With years of experience in cotton agronomy Rob Long from B&W Rural, Moree believes that the rate of return for dryland cotton compared to alternative crops over the past five years indicates that this (the Moree) district has missed out on considerable wealth creation by not growing enough dryland cotton.”
In 2009/10 as part of the Cotton Choices™ program Monsanto has launched a pilot dryland End Point Royalty (EPR) program to reduce the risk of growing dryland cotton to growers. The program is designed to reduce the upfront and in-season cost of growing Bollgard II® with Roundup Ready Flex® as the majority of the trait fee is based on final yield, so growers only pay for what they pick.
Marketers & Dryland Cotton
Marketers such as Queensland Cotton are encouraging the development of dryland cotton by meeting the specific pricing needs of dryland growers. “Queensland Cotton remains in regular contact with those growers who have indicated a strong desire to plant dryland cotton this season, ” says Tim Storck, Marketing Services Officer, Queensland Cotton. “It is in our interest to encourage greater dryland production through innovative marketing strategies but obviously we also need futures, basis and currency levels, as well as planting rain to align. Currently, prices are being pressured by a stronger Australian dollar but we remain hopeful that a window of opportunity will allow growers to lock in an acceptable price prior to planting” said Tim.
Dryland Cotton Information Sessions
A series of Dryland Cotton Information Sessions run collaboratively between CSD and Monsanto will begin at the end of August. We encourage all growers considering planting dryland cotton to attend these events; they will provide a great opportunity to learn about the simplicity of growing dryland cotton and there will be information available on variety selection, marketing, grower requirements and the Cotton Choices program.
Dryland cotton varieties
CSD have been working hard to produce varieties that are suitable for both irrigated and dryland cotton. Steve Ainsworth, General Manager, CSD said, ”CSD, in partnership with the CSIRO Cotton Breeding team have a long-term focus on breeding varieties which are well adapted for dryland cotton production. The key focus of the breeding program is to deliver varieties which optimise yield, fibre quality, and disease tolerance and have broad regional adaptability.”
“When you consider dryland cotton, fibre quality is an important consideration. Avoiding length discounts will add significantly to grower net returns. We are very pleased to see new varieties such as Sicot 71BRF which ticks all the right boxes in these areas. It has demonstrated an excellent fit in all cotton production systems, including dryland, topping something like 90% of the trials in which it was entered. We are also very encouraged by the new Sicot 24BRF which will be broadly tested in this year trial program,” he said.
Australia’s cotton growers have adapted to change and produce the world’s best cotton. However, consistency of supply is critical for maintaining relationships with buyers and the ongoing variability in irrigation water makes this increasingly difficult. Dryland cotton has the potential to help diversify and bolster Australia’s cotton production, but will require industry-wide collaboration to be successful.
For more information about Monsanto’s dryland EPR program, contact Mark Dawson, Regional Business Manager on 0428 106 090 or mark.m.dawson@monsanto.com.
