2022-23 Harvest Updates

On Wednesday 20 October 2021, 'The Weekly Times' leads with a page 1 and 4 story about how fertilser prices have skyrocketed.

For the 2022-23 southern winter crop, graingrowers are likely to pay $1058 a tonne-on farm for urea at spot prices, significantly above the $393 a tonne that was the price in October 2020 (this latter price may not have included the $100 extra a tonne to get the urea to the farm).

While local fertiliser plants have ramped up production, 65 per cent of phosphorous fertiliser DAP comes from mainland communist China, with the major source of urea the Middle East.

Growers interviewed said that the skyrocketing prices would mean lower sown areas in marginal country 'to give paddocks a rest', especially given that sufficient rain is not guaranteed.

"There will definitely be a reduction in the crop area next year", well known grower from Rupanyup, Victoria, Andrew Weidemann said.

While the article doesn't discuss it, surely it'd be freakish to have three concurrent excellent seasons.