NOBODY had high hopes for the Riverina harvest after such a dry year.
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But some little surprises at the silo in southern NSW have been more than welcomed.
Jim Simpson of “Ivydale”, runs a mixed farming enterprise on the outskirts of Wagga and conceded it had been a tough year with little rainfall during the growing season.
His operation was indicative of many others in the region. Just before he put the header in to strip what he described as a handy crop of triticale” he took time out to talk up some of the small positives achieved by landholders in this region.
“I have heard of people in this area getting 15 per cent and more for protein in their wheat,” he said.
This higher protein means the grain can be sold at better grades and ultimately commands more per tonne.
I have heard of people in this area getting 15 per cent and more for protein in their wheat.
- Jim Simpson
“With the season lacking so much (in rain) what we are seeing now is better quality but we are still lacking in quantity,” he said.
Mr Simpson said the results were testament to better farming practices too. He said winter crops on his place were sown using a disc seeder. This meant that the available soil moisture was conserved.
“There is no till … and we are finding our results to be much better,” he said.
In addition to making the most of soil moisture he said careful weed management was crucial too in regards to making cropping systems work in dry years.
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