Growers turn to chickpeas this season

With growers in many areas only able to grow wheat and barley for the past couple of years, the opportunity to change the rotation is very welcome.

Nick Allwright and his wife Steph lease 1100 hectares on Riversleigh, 850 of which is dryland farming and 250 is irrigated.

The Allwright's program includes 350ha of wheat, 350ha of canola, some barley and this year they are sowing 70ha to chickpeas.

Mr Allwright said there are a number factors which has led to chickpeas being included in their program, but the main focus is financial.

"The money's definitely come back into chickpeas," he said.

"At $850 a tonne, if you're picking up two tonne that's $1700 a hectare.

"And the cost of growing Canola is becoming quite high and keeps increasing.

"Chickpeas is a good, low input option which also provides a bit of residual nitrogen and good weed control.

"It fits what we're trying to do.

"We've got some sorghum that's just been harvested, and we're going to try and turn that back to chickpeas in a few weeks.

"I wouldn't usually put that much chickpeas in, but I suppose it's just where the money is."

Mr Allwright said a good bit of rain three weeks ago has helped the early sown wheat but the p[addocks could use a drink again now.

"We have good subsoil moisture after plenty of summer rain and a good early autumn break," he said.

"We started sowing Sunflex wheat a couple of days after that break then we moved into canola.

"We finished the canola about three days ago and then we just moved into some Lancer.

"We're still sowing on moisture, but only just. I am hoping to try and get the last of our wheat in before hopefully it rains this weekend."

Mr Allwright hopes to have his chickpeas in the ground by mid-May.

Doug McDougall, Total Ag Services Croppa Creek

Sowing in the Croppa Creek area is starting to take off now that some of the wetter country has dried out.

Doug McDougall, Total Ag Services, said that conditions had created some optimism and that sowing was in full swing.

"It's starting to get a good roll on now. The last last couple of days it's been waiting for a bit of country to dry out," he said.

"There was a big rain in the North Star-Croppa Creek area, but there's a bit of slope on the country.

"It's all managed to get away and now we're looking at full profiles.

"We've had some cooler weather, getting down to eight or nine degree minimums and nice days in the high twenties. So it is really good sowing conditions."

Mr McDougall said growers are just finishing off some canola and some faba beans, and are at the start of sowing some longer season wheat varieties.

he said from mid-May onwards, the area was looking at a pretty big chickpea plant.

"The area sown to chickpeas will be increased this year on the back of some really good prices," he said.

"There's smaller reserves in India, and chickpeas gone up $200 to $300 a tonne.

"With the cereal market having come back off the ball a little bit, chickpeas are pretty enticing.

"I'd say a chickpea area might be up by 50pc.

"It's hard to say until it actually gets in the ground, but that's the way it's heading at the moment."

Mr McDougall said smaller canola programs would make room for the chickpeas.

"Canola has come back a little bit," he said.

"All the cereals will come back a little, whether it's wheat or barley, because we've had a fairly heavily serial dominant program for the last three years.

"That's been due to multiple reasons with growers trying to get some stubble cover back on country and the prices for wheat and barley have been really good.

"Chickpeas haven't been that attractive price wise but it seems once they hit that $800 a tonne mark, everybody starts talking about them again."

James Kearines, Elders Lake Cargelligo

Lake Cargelligo agronomist James Kearines said that while some paddocks in the area retain moisture, some rain would be welcomed.

"Stubble paddocks are generally still pretty good," he said.

"They're holding in their moisture. Anything that got worked is getting a bit dry now.

"There's meant to be some rain coming on Friday so it'll fill it back up and we'll be right to keep going.

"With that moisture getting down to the seed zone, some varieties are going in probably a bit earlier than ideal, but we'd rather get them in and up on moisture than sit around waiting for a rain that might not come."

Mr Kearines said a lot of the area has canola in, a lot of pulses are in, and growers have sown lupins as well.

"I'd say there's more people adopting lupins this year than usual. A lot of people are giving lupins a go for the first time," he said.

"It's a bit of a disease break and cropping for nitrogen as well.

"Growers are starting to see that growing wheat on wheat on wheat is starting to hold them back a bit.

"Last week people have started putting in their main season wheat varieties," he said.

"There's a bit of barley that's gone in, mainly La Trobe and Spartacus, they're probably the two most common ones here.

"They're a bit early as well, but we're just working on the same principle as wheat.

"They will be better going early than, than the wheat with the frosts."

Mr Kearines said the sowing window for the area closes at the end of May.

"With our barley and our Vixen and Condo wheat, we can sort of push into that first week of June, but it really starts dropping off if we have to do that," he said.

Ben Dawson, B&W Rural Collarenebri

Following reasonable rain over the past three to four weeks, most growers around Collarenebri have had enough moisture to start their sowing programs.

That's the word from B&W Rural agronomist Ben Dawson who said generally speaking, growers haven't had enough that all their country is 100 percent full.

"What we're seeing is that the long fallow country, not planted last year, is ready to go," he said.

"But anything that was planted last year still needs 50mm, 70mm, 100mm to be able to fill the profile right up."

Mr Dawson said the area is looking like there will be a big swing back to chickpeas.

"We don't plant them until June but we're anticipating a big, big planting of chickpeas on the back of the price rallying," he said.

"The price is good and a lot of guys probably planted too many cereals the last couple years because there hasn't been many other options.

"We need to get back into a proper rotation, including some pulses, so chickpeas are definitely back on the cards."

Mr Dawson said growers had mainly planted faba beans and some early wheat varieties like Sun Max and Rainer.

"Now that we're at the end of April, Lancer, which is probably our most popular wheat variety, people will tend to sow that from Anzac Day onwards now."

Mr Dawson said there was a drop in the amount of barley being sown in the area.

"It seems generally barley is sort of going off," he said.

"There's probably less barley being grown.

"There is traditional barley growers that do like it, but just generally speaking, there's probably bit less barley grown.

"We have also probably seen less canola planted compared to other years and it needs to be planted now.

"That's probably down to the chickpea prices."

Miranda Rose, Elders Deniliquin

In the south, Elders Deniliquin agronomist Miranda Rose said that dry conditions had seen some growers hold off on their winter programs while others had gone ahead anyway.

"Conditions for sowing have been less than ideal for dryland croppers," she said.

"With limited rainfall, some farmers are reluctant to put seed in the ground whilst the rainfall outlook stands as it does.

"However, some farmers who abide by the traditional 'calendar sowing' have put seed in the ground regardless of the current outlook.

"Most clients are still sowing their full programs.

"Irrigated farmers have typically pre-watered paddocks, not only so they have moisture at sowing but more so that they have a germination of weeds, predominantly Ryegrass, to implement a double-knock strategy (a glyphosate-based herbicide pass followed by a paraquat-based pass).

"The opportunity to double knock bad Ryegrass paddocks takes pressure off in-crop, selective grass herbicides and saves a lot of money in the long run.

"As with each season in this region, management of glyphosate-resistant Ryegrass must be at the front-of-mind when planning crop rotations.

"Cereal growers are reminded to seek out robust pre-emergent and post-sowing pre-emergent herbicide programs to optimise their weed control and mitigate the development of resistance."

Ms Rose said the conditions have caused some growers to change their programs.

"Some have amended their plans from a Canola rotation to a wheat or barley to reduce their risk if the season cuts-off early. Others have stuck to the plan," she said.

"The main crops to be sown include wheat, barley and canola while rice growers will tend to sow a clover-based or vetch-based pasture or hay option prior to sowing rice in October.

This season seems to be tracking similarly to last season.

"Some irrigated croppers have commenced flushing paddocks to emulate a post-sowing rain to ensure crop seedlings are germinating on time.

"Others believe as soon as they start watering, it will start raining and waterlog their crops, something we had to deal with early last season."

Ms Rose said disease pressure could be strong.

"If we are dealing with a humid winter and spring, I suspect we will be dealing with another bad rust season," she said.

"I am encouraging my clients who are growing wheat varieties that are susceptible to rust to ensure they have budgeted for a robust fungicide program, especially for those targeting a six-plus tonne wheat crop on irrigation."

Hayden Hollis, Agricore Tamworth

Tamworth agronomist Hayden Hollis, Agricore, says three key tips for successful winter cereal planting should be observed.

Mr. Hollis underscores the importance of monitoring sowing speeds, stressing the need to avoid excessive soil throw.

He said this could result in the soil ending in another furrow and increasing the levels of pre-emergent chemicals which could impact the newly germinating seed.

"Sowing depth is also an important factor, and it can impact the amount of energy required for seed germination and placement," he said.

Pre-emergent selection can also be impacted by the soil types and whether the crop is being sown into stubbles.

"These pre-emergents can react differently to stubble and soil types , and you don't want that to impact your newly sown crop."

Mr Hollis said the season is shaping up positively for the winter crop plant.

He said his clients were all adopting a 'back to basics' approach to this season's plant.

"Input costs are high, interest rates are increasing and we've had some challenging seasons in the past few years," he said.

"The key seems to be making sure they keep it simple this year."