Season marching on

Dust seen flying at Bowmans last Monday. (Andrew Parker)
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We are still looking for a good soak to finish off crops as we head on towards the tipping point, that being Balaklava Show Day.

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Currently we are looking fine with a cold front expected for Saturday, and whilst it is not the drenching rains farmers are searching for, at least it is not forecast to be 35 with a howling north wind.

Last Monday’s wild winds was testament to just how dry it still is with sandhills drifting at Bowmans, not terribly inspiring in September for anyone.

Some areas of the Mid North are looking pretty good whilst farther north in the marginal areas, the feed situation is vastly better than last season.

Rainfall to date is variable and generally below average and this year we simply do not have the subsoil moisture which got many

growers through to an average harvest last year.

The current outlook according to the bureau is for about a 50 per cent chance of exceeding above average rainfall in the next three weeks. It is not surprising most farmers do not hang out at the casino, we gamble enough on the weather.

Grain Talk with Davis Grain

Grain markets have continued to soften over the past week, which can mainly be attributed to the release of the US Department of Agriculture’s world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) latest report.

The report projected global wheat stocks for the 2025/26 season at around 264.1 million tonnes, this is up 3.98 million tonne on the back of favourable forecasts for Australia, the EU, Canada and Russia.

The slow export pace out of Russia has shifted some demand towards other export origins causing a rise in corn pricing, which in turn should also support world wheat markets.

Meanwhile, the Rosario Grain exchange has forecast Argentina’s corn crop to be a record breaker with estimates at 10 million tonnes more than last season.

Soybean estimates have been revised down, which means a tightening of world supply. This in turn has spilled over onto rapeseed and Canadian canola markets pushing them higher.

This means Australian canola pricing remains firm despite the strengthening Aussie dollar against the US last week.

Downward pressure remains on lentils due to increased production in Australia and the Canadian harvest being significant, which has impacted on global supply and further depressed prices.

Editor’s note: with Albo’s announcement of a billion-dollar investment into vegetable oil as a replacement for diesel fuel, we can all sow canola everywhere, we will be so rich! I shall order another windrower immediately.

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