Rain could cost Australia 10% of next year’s cotton crop
The Australian cotton industry is still expecting a large cotton crop for 2023 in spite of persistent rain in much of New South Wales and Queensland, which industry body Cotton Australia said had fallen on “already sodden paddocks”. In some cases this has delayed picking and planting.
Only two years after severe drought, cotton farmers celebrated good water availability resulting in a record crop of 5.5 million bales last season, however the rain has persisted providing a headache for some farmers.
At the end of October , the authorities in New South Wales said every inland river catchment was either full or flooded, with nine major flood warnings in place.
Cotton Australia chief executive, Adam Kay, said his thoughts were with farmers who have suffered loss and damage owing to the floods. “We are hearing reports of major infrastructure damage following inundation and are keeping government stakeholders informed,” he added.
He explained that there was flooding in some cotton-growing areas already, but said crops such as wheat and barley were the most affected so far. In the northern half of New South Wales, he added, farmers have until the second half of November to plant cotton crops.
Mr Kay insisted Cotton Australia remained confident of a heathy yield for the coming season, saying said the professionalism and adaptability of cotton farmers would bring good results, but he warned a reduction of 10% on its crop forecast for 2023 was possible.
