australian canegrower 2013-11-25.indd

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Canegrower
AUSTRALIAN
CANEGROWERS
The flagship of the sugarcane industry
25 November 2013 Price $7.95
Cattleman turns Tully
land back to cane
Trade talks focus
on sugar
25,000 FAMILIES ARE HOMELESS
YOUR DONATION GIVES THEM
CONTENTS
CEO’S COMMENT
Australia’s negotiations on a number
of trade deals are reaching a crucial
stage. It’s vital that sugar is part of
the new landscape. Real reform in
international trade is money directly
back into your pockets as producers
so now is the time to make your
feelings known to your
local politicians.
25.11.2013
3
11
Brendan Stewart
CANEGROWERS CEO
Cover: Chris Condon,
the newest Director
on the board of
CANEGROWERS
Tully, in front of one
of his newly-planted
blocks. Photo by
John Flynn.
Canegrower
CANEGROWERS
AUSTRALIAN
INDUSTRY NEWS
The flagship of the sugarcane industry
25 November 2013 Price $7.95
Cattleman turns Tully
land back to cane
Trade talks focus
on sugar
4
Industry news briefs
6
Regional round up and crush statistics
8
CANEGROWERS calls for a fair trade deal for sugar
10
SRA: How to make your research dollars count
11
Spotlight: Brazil embraces new cane technology
WHAT’S NEW
Editor Neroli Roocke
Design Jasmine Hunt
Advertising and Classifieds Kim Thackeray
12
QSL responds to reports it sold sugar below market value
13
Sugar prices and the Aus dollar weakening
Subscriptions Suzi Moore
Articles appearing in Australian Canegrower do
not necessarily represent the policies or views of
CANEGROWERS
Published every second Monday by
CANEGROWERS
CANEGROWERS’ Building
190-194 Edward Street, Brisbane,
Queensland Australia
ABN 94 089 992 969
Postal Address: GPO Box 1032, Brisbane,
Queensland 4001 Australia
Telephone: 07 3864 6444; Fax: 07 3864 6429
Email: enquiry@canegrowers. com. au
Website: www. canegrowers. com. au
CANEGROWERS/Members Card Hotline 1800 177 159
AUSTRALIAN CANEGROWER ISSN 157-3039
Volume 35, Number 24
Printed by Cornerstone Press
2/69 Crockford St, Northgate, QLD
Subscriptions
Yearly subscriptions for 25 issues (postage included)
Within Australia
Overseas (AUD)
$140 inc GST
$220
LAND PREPARATION
14
Tillage types and tools
17
Soil testing could save you money
ON FARM
18
From cane to cattle and back again: A Tully family
invests in water management and new cane blocks
MEMBER SERVICES
22
Classifieds
25 November 2013
Australian Canegrower
1
EDITOR’S DESK
WHAT’S NEW
The year and the cane crush are winding
up but I am just getting started. This is
my first editorial after moving from ABC
Rural to CANEGROWERS.
This edition comes at an important
time for negotiations towards a TransPacific Partnership, a trade agreement
involving 12 nations around the Pacific
Ocean. There is pressure from the
United States and Japan to have sugar
excluded and CANGEGROWERS will be
lobbying to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Read more on page 8.
It’s fitting that my first edition of
Australian Canegrower has a feature on
land preparation from page 14. Nothing
like starting at the beginning of the
farming process and just like playing a
symphony or painting a wall, growing
a crop depends on good preparation if
it’s to be a success.
to meeting many of you as I visit farms
and CANEGROWERS offices over the
coming year. I am also an avid user of
social media and email so please do
not hesitate to contact me if you have a
story, issue or event you think Australian
Canegrower needs to know about.
Thank you to Jasmine Hunt for showing
me the ropes and guiding me through
the production process. Along with
everyone at CANEGROWERS, I wish
her well in the big adventure that is
motherhood.
Neroli Roocke
Schools urged to join drought aid
It’s been a tough year for many inland
Queensland farming families. 60% of
the state is now drought-declared and
people are watching the sky hoping for
the start of the summer rains.
December 4 is Gold Coin Day for
Aussie Helpers and schools right across
Australia are being urged to raise money
which will be turned into bales of hay.
The Buy a Bale campaign will send them
to feed cattle and sheep in droughtdeclared areas.
Schools can find more information or
register here:
www.buyabale.com.au/gold-coin-dayfor-our-farmers
Aussie Helpers is also running a food
and gift drive to support families
over Christmas. To help, go to their
website www.buyabale.com.au/bushchristmas-2013
A grower in the Tully region talks about
making the transition from cattle to
cane and why his family is doing it from
page 18.
New NFF head wants to be a strong
voice for farmers
Coming from a radio background, I love
a good chat so I am looking forward
Queenslander Brent Finlay has been
elected President of the National Farmers’
Federation.
Free service to dispose of chemical
containers before storm season
drumMUSTER is gearing up for a
busy post-harvest rush on chemical
container returns.
Pre-cyclone season clean ups are
a popular time to remove as many
empty chemical containers from the
farm as possible.
Best of all, the disposal service is
free and there are collection depots,
sometimes several, located in most
major cane growing areas.
When containers are brought in,
they are crushed or shredded
and transformed into re-usable
products such as wheelie bins, road
signs, fence posts and bollards.
It is a reliable, cost effective and
sustainable option for the recycling
of empty agvet chemical containers.
All growers need to do is make sure
drums are residue free, with the lids
removed, before being delivered.
2
Metal drums should be pierced
to allow better airflow for drying.
There’s no need to pierce plastic
containers.
CANEGROWERS is urging growers to
load up their drums and take them
to a collection centre near them
after harvest is finished and before
summer holidays, saying it will be
one less thing on growers’ minds
coming up to cyclone season.
To search for a collection depot in
your area, go to www.drummuster.
com.au
If you have any questions, you can
ring the drumMUSTER office directly
on 1800 008 707. If you would like
to speak directly to the Queensland
and New South Wales northern rivers
consultant, ring Colin Hoey on
0428 964 576.
25 November 2013
Mr Finlay is from Taprock in the south
east and runs a sheepmeat, wool and beef
business with his three daughters. His
farming credentials also include grain and
hay production.
He’s spent the past 13 years in
representative positions, including a stint
as AgForce President, and takes over
the NFF reins from Duncan Fraser who
stepped in when Jock Laurie stepped
down in April this year. Mr Finlay said
2013 has been tumultuous, with three
agriculture ministers and three Prime
Ministers.
“Now, as we enter a period of, we hope,
relative political stability, it is time to get
the focus away from politics and back
onto policy – and to drive forward the
outcomes that our farmers need from
government. There are many issues that
need to be addressed – from drought
policy to foreign investment – and I look
forward to being a strong voice for the
farming sector,” Mr Finlay said.
Queensland beef producer Christine
Rolfe has been elected NFF VicePresident. Two new Board Directors have
been appointed, Victorian mixed farmer
David Jochinke and New South Wales
ricegrower Les Gordon while Ian Burnett
(Qld), Fiona Simson (NSW) and Peter
Tuohey (Vic) have been reappointed.
CEO’S
WHAT’S
COMMENT
NEW
Trade talks mean now is the time for sugar to shine
By CANEGROWERS CEO
Brendan Stewart
Last week I attended
the NFF member
Council meeting in
Canberra alongside
our Chairman Paul
Schembri.
This is the first NFF meeting I have
attended for some 15 years and it has
made me reflect on our representative
structure, how we interact with
government and what role NFF plays in it.
NFF is the interface with the federal
government on our behalf on non-sugar
specific issues, and it’s the opportunity for
state farm organisations and commodity
representative organisations such as
CANEGROWERS, to come together and
pool resources in order to get better bang
for our buck.
For the sugar industry, the issues most
critical to us that it deals with at a
federal level include federal workplace
relations laws, international trade reform,
biosecurity and quarantine, drought policy
and environmental laws.
Our CANEGROWERS personnel work
closely with the NFF President and staff
to further the interests of cane growers
both domestically and internationally.
We congratulate the newly elected NFF
President Brent Finlay from Queensland on
his election at this council.
CANEGROWERS and NFF are currently
working hand in hand on a number of
international trade agreements.
CANEGROWERS welcomes this continued
public support for the need for an allinclusive agreement.
Many of you will remember that in the
2004 free trade agreement with the USA,
sugar was ‘dumped’ at the last minute,
deemed ‘too difficult’ by bureaucrats
on both sides of the Pacific to deal with,
rendering us the ‘perennial castaways’ of
international agricultural trade reform.
Having said that, I was personally in the
room in Washington DC in 2004, and when
push came to shove on the negotiation on
the Australia-USA Free Trade Agreement,
after similar public utterances and
commitments were made in the lead up to
the final negotiation.
The new federal government has indicated
it wishes to expedite the finalisation of
free trade agreements with South Korea,
Japan and China and also the longrunning negotiations on the Trans Pacific
Partnership agreement between 12 Pacific
rim countries.
I was there when then Trade Minister Mark
Vaile made the announcement that sugar
had been excluded from the agreement in
order to get an agreement over the line.
The attitude then was that, ‘a less than
satisfactory deal was better than no deal
at all’.
By now some of you are asking, ‘Isn’t this
the same issue that the Chairman raised
in his editorial last week?’ and the answer
is, yes. Why then, have we decided to
raise the profile of the issue twice in quick
succession? The simple answer is that
negotiations are getting to the pointy end,
so it’s an opportune time to re-enforce our
expectations to government and to the
departmental negotiators, that no longer
can sugar continue to be the poor cousin
in this round of bi-lateral and multi-lateral
trade.
New Trade Minister Andrew Robb has
been strong in his public stance since
assuming his role, that there will be no
deal unless agriculture, including sugar, is
a fundamental plank of the outcomes on
the TPP negotiation.
That may be all very well for those
industries that got some reform, but to
continually be left out in the cold is a
rather uncomfortable position.
If we are left out this time, it could be
decades before we get another chance at
real reform.
Real reform in international trade is
money directly back into your pockets as
producers. That’s money that flows back to
your families and your communities, and
for investment back into your businesses.
I implore you to make your feelings known
to your local federal and state members
of parliament. Give them the support that
they need to take up the fight on your
behalf. Let them know that now is the time
for sugar to shine!
Insurance premiums soaring?
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Finally. Insurance that understands farming.
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We have directly employed a team of qualified insurance
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Interested in geƫng a quote?
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Call your nearest CANEGROWERS oﬃce today.
25 November 2013
3
Changes looming to vegetation laws
The laws which cover which vegetation
can and cannot be cleared on farm will
be changing early next year.
• A suite of self assessable codes
that can be used to clear small areas
of vegetation for certain purposes.
CANEGROWERS, AgForce and QFF have
been providing advice to the Department
of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM)
for the past six months and, as DNRM
is now finalising its reforms to the
Vegetation Managemet Act, the groups
are running a series of workshops to
communicate the changes.
• Two new clearing purposes, for
high value and irrigated high
value agriculture and
environmental clearing.
The reforms include:
• A list of routine land management
activities that are now excluded from
the Vegetation Management Act.
• A new Category R mapping layer
that will apply a 50 m buffer to
all watercourses in the reef
catchment areas.
It is important that as many growers as
possible attend the information sessions
(dates and venues below). To register,
email your interest to
[email protected]
Seminar location
Dates
Venues
Townsville
2 December 2013 - 10am
Chifley Plaza - Matthew Flinders
Room
Cairns
2 December 2013 - 10 am
Pullman - Bluewater Room
Mackay
DNRM office
Babinda
Babinda Bowls Club
Ayr
DNRM office Ayr
Mossman
4 December 2013 - 1 pm
Mossman Bowls Club
Ingham
Noorla Bowls Club
Sarina
Sarina Bowls Club
Mareeba
DNRM office
Bundaberg
DNRM, 16-32 Enterprise St,
Bundaberg
Nebo/Prosperine
Nebo Memorial Hall
Innisfail
11 December 2013 - 1 pm
South Johnstone DAFF office
Tully
Tigers Leagues Club
GUESS WHERE RAVENSDOWN’S
Agricultural Study Tour 2014
is going next year...
Outside of the towns and cities smashed
by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
this month, thousands of hectares of
sugarcane has been destroyed.
One of the regions to be hardest hit
by the Category 5 typhoon, the Visayas
Islands, accounts for more than half of
the nation’s cane and harvesting was just
under way before the typhoon hit.
Local officials estimate 25,000 hectares
of cane has been affected. While
that number may not seem huge by
Australian standards, more than 90% of
the region’s growers farm fewer than 10
hectares meaning the storm has been a
devastating blow to tens of thousands
of families. The Sugar Alliance of the
Philippines is working on an assistance
package.
The Philippines Sugar Regulatory
Administration estimates the crop
damage means between 50,000 and
120,000 tons of sugar may have been lost.
Milling infrastructure and ethanol plants
have also have sustained damage on the
islands of Negros, Panay, Leyte and Cebu.
While the Philippines accounts for just
1.3% of global sugar production and
consumes most of its output itself,
markets are waiting to see if the typhoon
will impact on the quantity and quality
of sugar available for its biggest export
market, the United States.
Cane-powered
electricity plants sold
An overseas company which specialises in
renewable energy has bought two New
South Wales cogeneration plants which
make electricity from sugarcane trash.
Capital Dynamic, based in Switzerland,
says it’s bought the plants at the
Broadwater and Condong Sugar Mills
on behalf of a United Kingdom pension
fund. The NSW Sugar Milling Cooperative
had spent $220 million building them but
the plants had been sitting idle and in
receivership since 2011. Immediately after
the sale was confirmed, the plants were
fired up to process trash from the current
harvest.
Capital Dynamic said it would look at
increasing the operating season and
profitability of the plants beyond the
sugar crush by using other sources of
biomass such as macadamia, sawmill or
woodchip residues.
1800 624 122
www.ravensdown.com.au
4
MO
R
CO E I N
MI FO
NG RM
SO ATI
ON ON
!
Super-storm hits
during cane harvest
Their electricity is used by the mills and
the National Electricity Market.
25 November 2013
INDUSTRY
WHAT’SNEWS
NEW
Smartcane BMP Update
By CANEGROWERS Smartcane
BMP Project Director
Malcolm Petrie
This month, 16 Smartcane BMP
facilitators from across the industry
met in Mackay to receive four days’
training in auditing, facilitation
and extension. The forum was well
received by all facilitators, who are
looking to rollout a pilot program
with selected growers in the coming
weeks. CANEGROWERS Senior
Manager – Environment, Matt Kealley
and I also attended the training.
During the four days, the ISO 19011
accreditation process was reviewed
and trialled at CANEGROWERS
Mackay Director Greg Plath’s
property. Our thanks go to Janice
Nelson and CANEGROWERS Mackay
for hosting the successful training
week and the support given for this
important program.
Smartcane BMP facilitators visit Greg Plath’s farm as part of their training.
The official launch of the Smartcane BMP
program with be on 3 December in Mackay.
Queensland Minister for Environment and
Heritage Protection Andrew Powell and
Minister for Agriculture John McVeigh
will be attending. CANEGROWERS will be
publicising an invitation of attendance to all
growers and stakeholders.
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25 November 2013
5
Regional Roundup
Supplied by CANEGROWERS district offices.
MOSSMAN
HERBERT RIVER
At the end of week 21, Mossman had
crushed 98% of the estimated tonnage
for the year, with 570,694 tonnes of cane
crushed so far. CCS for the week was
13.08, and the region’s average CCS to
date is 12.75.
The Herbert River harvesting and
crushing season finished on Wednesday
30 October with 4,000,685 tonnes of
cane processed at an average CCS of
13.95. Total cane crushed at Macknade
Mill was 1,255,163.18 tonnes and
Victoria Mill crushed 2,745,522.22.
A grower information forum will be
held 5 December 2013, introducing
CANEGROWERS Chair Paul Schembri
and CEO Brendan Stewart. The forum
will be held at the Ingham Bowling
Club at 9 am and will conclude with
a BBQ lunch. For catering purposes
register your attendance to the office
on 07 4776 5350 or email
[email protected]
TABLELAND
Tablelands crushed 33,266 tonnes of
cane for week 23, with an average CCS
of 14.85. A total of 680,720 tonnes
have been crushed to date. The
CANEGROWERS Tableland AGM and BBQ
will be held on Thursday 12 December at
6.30 pm at the Mareeba Soccer Club.
CAIRNS REGION
The Smartcane BMP program is gaining
momentum in the Cairns Region.
Interested growers are urged to contact
either the Babinda or Mulgrave office
for further information. South Johnstone
and Mulgrave Mills are estimated
to finish crushing on 28 November
and 2 December respectively. This
does not include allowance for wet
weather. Growers continue to register
their interest in the next round of
Reef Rescue. As yet, targeted priority
practices have not been established.
CANEGROWERS Cairns Region heavily
subsidised a Chemical Accreditation
Course held in mid-November. Eighteen
growers took advantage of this member
benefit to maintain their currency in
this qualification. It is anticipated that a
similar program will be made available
to members in March next year. There
are still some placements available for
the Diploma of Agriculture through
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Please contact either Mulgrave or
Babinda office for details.
INNISFAIL
At the end of week 21, the Innisfail
region had crushed a total of 1,273,934
tonnes of cane, with an average CCS
of 12.48. This brings the total tonnage
crushed to date to 94.23% of the
estimate.
TULLY
Tully Mill crushed 98,059 tonnes in week
21, bringing the total crushed to date to
2,003,348 tonnes. CCS has averaged at
13.00 so far.
6
BURDEKIN
The Burdekin region has finished
crushing for 2013. The total tonnes
crushed for the season was 7,292,854 for
an average CCS of 14.61.
PROSERPINE
The 2013 crushing season at Proserpine
has concluded. A total of 1,616,058
tonnes were crushed for the 2013 year,
with an average CCS of 14.67.
MACKAY
Mackay mills processed 227,130 tonnes
of cane in the week ending 10 November
2013. The Mackay Sugar mills crushed:
Farleigh 70,455 tonnes; Marian 97,552
tonnes and Racecourse 59,123 tonnes.
CCS for the week was 15.93 units
with the average at 14.71. To date the
mills have crushed 4,703,126 tonnes.
Wilmar’s Plane Creek Mill was expected
to finish the 2013 season on Friday 15
November (subject to weather and
other disruptions). In the week ending
9 November, the mill crushed 35,032
tonnes with the season to date total at
1,170,649 tonnes. The average CCS for
the season rose to 15.18 units, with the
CCS for the week coming in at 15.63.
BUNDABERG
Millaquin and Bingera Mills commenced
crushing on Monday 24 June 2013.
There was no pre-crush this season.
Millaquin crushed in continuous mode
ceasing operations on Thursday 24
October 2013 while Bingera crushed in
five day mode ceasing operations on
25 November 2013
Thursday 31 October 2013. Both mills
performed very well throughout this
season. Lost time from wet weather was
only 13 minutes at Bingera and 1 hour
and 21 minutes at Millaquin for the
entire season. Whilst yields were down,
the results are better than thought after
the flooding earlier in the year. Tonnes
were down about 320,000 from last year,
but CCS is marginally better. In total,
Millaquin crushed 851,976.36 tonnes at
an average CCS of 14.99; while Bingera
crushed 650,849.11 tonnes at an average
of 14.92 CCS. The earlier finish this year
puts us in good stead for next year, but
rain is desperately needed.
ISIS
Dry weather continues to prevail and
growers are busily irrigating in an
attempt to meet crop water demand.
Certainly, rain is needed. Productivity
officers have reported the discovery
of southern one-year canegrub eggs
and larvae, so it is time to check
paddocks and if appropriate, treat with
a knockdown. The next few months
would be the time to do this. Soldier Fly
damage is also showing up and growers
are asked to contact Isis Productivity
Limited if ratoons are slow to emerge.
Growers should also be planning
their break-cropping strategy. Work is
progressing on the setting of priorities
for investment for Reef Rescue 2. It
is expected that the program will be
launched in December.
MARYBOROUGH
MSF finished crushing on Wednesday
6 November. Total tonnes crushed
amounted to 608,111 at a CCS of 14.71.
CCS for the final week of crushing
reached a record high of 16.41. The
CANEGROWERS Maryborough AGM will
be held on 28 November commencing
at 2.30 pm. The guest speaker will
be SRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Neil
Fisher. Growers will be receiving a
new cane supply agreement and other
documentation in the mail in the
near future. These documents require
growers’ urgent attention.
ROCKY POINT
Rocky Point has crushed 191,971 tonnes
to date, with an average of 14.82 CCS.
The crush has just finalised week 12, with
76% of the estimated tonnage crushed.
INDUSTRY
WHAT’SNEWS
NEW
Indonesian demand grows
A report from Rabobank says the 2012/13 financial
year saw Indonesia become the world’s largest sugar
importer and its government has abandoned a 2014 selfsufficiency target.
The report, called Indonesia – islands of opportunity,
paints a picture of a country with a rapidly growing
population of middle income earners, 45 million today
and rising to 135 million by 2030.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR
RESEARCH FUNDING AND
POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
The report’s lead-author, Rabobank senior analyst
Michael Harvey says Indonesia is Australia’s fourth
largest market for food including beef, grains, dairy
and sugar.
Sugar Research Australia Ltd (SRA) has announced its call for
researchers to submit Preliminary Research Proposals (PRPs) for
activities commencing 1 July 2014 and for research scholarships
for post-graduate training in areas of sugar industry need.
“Indonesia’s significant increase in per capital disposable
income is encouraging a preference for western-style
foods, with flour and protein-based products such as
cakes, biscuits, pizza and processed foods, including a
wide range of snack products, becoming more and more
popular,” Mr Harvey said.
Sugar consumption in Indonesia has grown at 5% per
year for the past decade and the country’s government
included the commodity in its self-sufficiency strategies
leading to production increases of 4% per year. But that
figures leaves a growing deficit between supply and
demand.
The government encourages local production through
imposing import quotas, licencing processors and
traders, influencing retail prices and setting a minimum
reference price in a bid to promote production. But,
land competition, a lack of investment and the low
profitability and productivity of small farms hold back
expansion.
Indonesia is now Australia’s second largest raw sugar
customer at 600,000 tonnes in 2012/13 and while
that appears to indicate opportunities for the trade to
expand, the report says there are constraints in how
much more Australia can supply while also maintaining
the large and valuable markets to Indonesia’s north.
The report concludes its sugar section by saying,
“Despite closer links between sugar milling companies in
Australia and refineries in Indonesia, growth in Australia’s
exportable sugar volume is likely to occur to higher value
markets across East Asia and exports to Indonesia are
expected to ease to 0.4 million tonnes in 2013/14”.
Priority will be given to applications that address the strategic
imperatives that are outlined in SRA’s Interim Strategic Plan.
The identified areas for research, development and extension
(RD&E) investment are:
Strategic Imperative 1. Industry growth
Strategic Imperative 2. Cost and profitability
Strategic Imperative 3. Environmental and regulatory pressures
Strategic Imperative 4. Diversification.
In this funding round, greater emphasis will be placed on
strategic imperatives 1-3, with a lower priority placed on strategic
imperative 4.
Each PRP application should clearly outline an alignment to the
relevant strategic imperative or imperatives. The application must
specify the industry need that the PRP addresses, provide a clear
description of the research project outputs and outcomes, and
explain plans for their subsequent adoption. Successful projects
are expected to demonstrate a significant industry return on the
project investment and contribute to triple bottom line benefits.
Lodging your application
PRP applications are to be completed using SRA’s online application
software SugarNet. Project applications must be submitted by close
of business 10 January 2014.
Assessment process
SRA will run a two-stage assessment process. Shortlisted PRP
applicants will be invited to submit a Full Research Proposal (FRP).
The FRP submissions will be assessed with successful project
applications to begin on 1 July 2014.
Post-graduate scholarships
The SRA Scholarships are to facilitate post-graduate training at
PhD or MSc level in disciplines that will contribute to building
research, development and extension capacity that will be of long
term value to the Australian sugar industry. Scholarships will be
awarded for three years and will be selected based on academic
quality, research topics and the likelihood of the research outcomes
being adopted by the industry.
Awards are available for full scholarships and supplementary
top-up awards for holders of Australian Postgraduate Awards
(APA) or equivalent funding. Scholarship applications are to be
completed using SRA’s online application software SugarNet.
Scholarship applications must be submitted by close of business
18 December 2013.
Indonesia’s sugar imports have increased by 70% in the past
decade.
To view our Interim Strategic Plan Summary, find out more about
the research call, and lodge an application visit the SRA website
www.sugarresearch.com.au or phone the SRA Research Funding
Unit on (07) 3331 3333.
25 November 2013
7
Sugar fights for inclusion in trade deal
CANEGROWERS is arguing that sugar
must be part of the TPP – a regional
trade agreement involving 12 nations on
both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
CANEGROWERS Head of Economics,
Warren Males, will travel to Singapore
and Indonesia in early December for key
stakeholder and government talks amid
concerns that farmer lobby groups in
Japan and the United States want sugar
excluded from the wide-ranging TransPacific Partnership.
“Australia and the US are meant to be
the biggest free trading economies in
the world and yet the US wants sugar
excluded,” Mr Males said.
“The United States’ position is that they
already have a Free Trade Agreement
with Australia and that agreement
excluded sugar so they’re saying that as
part of the TPP they are not going to reopen the market access provisions of the
Australian-US FTA.
“We say in response that this TPP is a
whole new trade agreement for the
region and there’s no reason for sugar to
be excluded.”
Since its agreement with Australia, the
US has signed trade agreements with
Chile, Guatemala and the Dominican
Republic which include sugar, as does the
Central American FTA.
Mr Males says if sugar is included in the
TPP then Australia would gain access to
the US market, something the Australian
Sugar Industry Alliance urged recently
during a visit to that country.
“When we went to Washington it
was quite clear there was broad
support in US industry for the TPP to
be comprehensive but that was not
amongst the US sugar lobby.
“They’re concerned that additional
Australian sugar will cause the demise
‘‘
‘‘
By Neroli Roocke
They should have nothing to fear from opening their
market to Australian sugar.
Warren Males, CANEGROWERS Head - Economics
of the US sugar program, the structures
that support the US sugar prices.
“We don’t buy that argument because
the US is already over-producing sugar
in its domestic market and it’s already
opened its borders to sugar imports
from Mexico.
“It’s that flood of North American
sugar that is causing problems in the
US market, not a few tonnes of excess
Australian sugar.
“We cannot supply the quantity of sugar
the Mexicans are supplying, almost two
million tonnes a year, and Australian
sugar is already going elsewhere.
“We’re not capable of flooding the US
market. We don’t have the capacity and
nor would it make sense to do so.
“What we’re looking for is having
improved access to markets so that
our industry can have improved
opportunities.”
As with all trade, price is a determining
factor and in the US fiscal year which
ended in September 2013, Australia did
not fill its existing 87,402 tonne quota to
the US for sugar because returns there
were lower than other markets.
Mr Males says other sensitive products
including dairy, beef, pork and rice have
also proven to be sticking points in the
TPP negotiations, particularly with Japan.
“Our counterparts in the US, Japan
and elsewhere are saying they want
their interests protected and they are
lobbying their government to exclude
products from the TPP.
“What we’re trying to do is build
momentum and support for
inclusion rather than exclusion.
“The Australian government is very
sympathetic to our position and is
pushing very hard to have sugar
included in the TPP.
“We want to make sure this agreement
has sugar in it so that when we go for
agreements beyond this one we can
actually point to this and say that
sugar’s in there.”
This is important because Australia
is currently negotiating bilateral
agreements with China, Japan and
South Korea.
Negotiations towards the TPP have been
going since 2008 involving Australia,
the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Peru,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Chile, New
Zealand, and Singapore.
This week the Australian sugar industry
is being represented at meetings in the
United States by Dominic Nolan, the
Australian Sugar Milling Council CEO,
before Mr Males attends meetings in
Indonesia and Singapore.
“Our industry is pushing our government
to say our interests have to be protected
and that means including things.
BACKGROUND
• 80% of Australian raw sugar production is exported (around 3.2 million tonnes), mostly to South Korea, Indonesia, Japan,
Malaysia, Taiwan, China and NZ where Australia has a transport cost advantage over competitors such as Brazil.
• All Australian sugar, whether sold on the domestic market or exported, is priced on the global market, using the
International Commodities Exchange raw sugar contract (ICE11) as a base.
• Market access restrictions are used by the US and others to protect their domestic markets, distorting and reducing
world prices, but improving access to markets for Australian sugar helps offset the negative impact of protectionist
policies.
8
25 November 2013
INDUSTRY
WHAT’SNEWS
NEW
Celebrating families
in farming
CANEGROWERS Mackay volunteers help
kids smile
The United Nations has declared
2014 to be the International Year of
Family Farming.
CANEGROWERS Mackay staff
joined forces this month to
volunteer at the 2013 Special
Children’s Christmas Party held
at the Mackay Showgrounds
and attended by hundreds
of children either diagnosed
with a life threatening illness,
or who have a physical or
intellectual disability.
So to celebrate it, I’d like to highlight
some of the families farming cane
in Australia. I’d like you to search
through your family photograph
albums (or boxes) and share some
of your family’s history in the sugar
industry with us. Do you have
pictures of your family arriving
in Australia? Of your farm being
established? Of some key event or
innovation that underpins what your
family does today?
Dorothy Anderson, Shelley
Dent and Geoffrey and Fiona
Youngs were among those
volunteering, and posing
for a photograph pre-event
with Ronald McDonald (Ronald
McDonald House).
Each month next year Australian
Canegrower will publish a picture and
a story which shows the diversity,
hard work and characters that make
up the farming families of the cane
industry. Give me a call or send
me an email and we’ll work out
how to share your story during the
International Year of Family Farming.
Dorothy Anderson, Shelley Dent and Geoffrey and
Fiona Youngs with Ronald McDonald.
Everything was provided free of charge
to the children on the day including
transport from outlying areas within
a 400 km radius. Mr Youngs and Mrs
Anderson said the Christmas party
was a very worthwhile experience and
‘thoroughly exhausting and enjoyable’.
Neroli Roocke
“The children had a marvellous time,
and it was also a great day to spend
together with work colleagues doing
enjoyable things that did not involve
work,” Mr Youngs said.
Accelerating success.
Receivers’ Sale – 3 Separate Properties, Auctions 4 December 2013
AUCTION
AUCTION
Outlines indicative only
AUCTION
261 Huxley Road, North Isis, via Childers Dowlings Road, North Isis, via Childers
Lot 20 on SP 197057
6.62* hectares of red soil historically
planted with sugar cane
• 4km* to Childers in the Bundaberg
regional council area
• 20 Mega litres of water allocation
• May be suitable for hobby farm, small
acreage horticulture block or home site
• Underground mains on farm
• Elevated site
Lot 4 on RP 14381
52.59* hectares
• Dam with electric pump and
underground mains
• Historically planted with sugar cane
• May be suitable for an orchard, small
crops or sugar cane
• 115 Mega litres of water allocation
326 McDonalds Rd, North Isis, via Childers
Lot 207 on SP 192367
27.69* hectares
• 17km* from Childers
• 14.16* hectares previously used for
small cropping
• Grey loamy soil which may be suitable for
a variety of farming options
• Power and phone adjacent to the property
• Some remnant bushland on the property
•
•
•
•
•
•
*Approximately
www.colliers.com.au/500933315
Auction Wednesday 4 December at 10am in-rooms at Colliers International, Brisbane
Rawdon Briggs
0428 651 144
07 3370 1764
Tom Warriner
0477 441 011
07 3026 3345
Under instructions from Ian Richard Hall
and Damian John Templeton
as Receivers and Managers
www.colliers.com.au
25 November 2013
9
SRA Snapshot
Making your research investment count
characteristic, for example – diseaseresistance, cane yield, sugar content.
Those varieties with the highest overall
score are selected to progress to the
next stage. The economic weightings
which are based on the production and
milling costs for each cane-growing
sector and region are out of date.
By Neil Fisher,
Chief Executive
Officer, Sugar
Research
Australia
SRA has
announced its
first call for
applications for
research funding
and postgraduate
scholarships.
It’s important that the research we
fund delivers a significant return on
the project investment to industry and
practical outcomes that can be easily
taken up on the farm and at the mill.
Applications that address the following
research priority areas outlined in SRA’s
Interim Strategic Plan will be considered
for funding:
Research Priority 1: Industry growth
Research Priority 2: Cost and
profitability
Research Priority 3: Environmental
and regulatory pressures
Research Priority 4: Diversification
Applications will be reviewed by the
SRA Research Funding Panel. Successful
applications must clearly outline how
they align with the research priorities
and describe the industry need
addressed by the project. The outcomes
the research will deliver and how their
adoption will be maximised must also be
explained.
Successful scholarship recipients are
expected to start their studies in early
2014, with successful research projects
commencing from 1 July 2014.
Improving the sugarcane
varieties of the future
The SRA Plant Breeding Program
– which focuses on maximising the
profitability from cane production for
the entire industry – receives the largest
investment from your levies.
In selecting new varieties we give
an economic weighting for each
10
necessary. I will keep you informed of
their progress.
Becoming an SRA Member
All growers will have received their SRA
Membership Pack in the post. I strongly
encourage you to complete and return
your Membership Application Form so
that you can play a role in your industryowned RD&E company.
To address this situation a Review Panel
– appointed by ASA and coordinated
by SRA – was formed in September to
re-evaluate the main components of the
production system and the economic
weightings that are used in variety
selection. The panel met in late August
and set the work program that will lead
to new weightings.
There are many advantages and benefits
of becoming an SRA Member including
an entitlement to:
• Attend, vote and speak at SRA
General Meetings.
• Elect Directors to the SRA Board.
Over the past two weeks Variety
Adoption groups – which include
representatives from SRA,
CANEGROWERS, ASMC and grower and
milling businesses – have met in Ingham,
Ayr, Tully, Gordonvale and Childers. They
will meet in Ballina and Mackay in early
December.
Each group has reviewed which
characteristics are more important than
others at a district level and whether
the income-cost structures applied to
growing, harvesting and milling are
appropriate.
They have also considered what our
industry will look like in 10 - 12 years,
the normal timeframe it takes to develop
a new variety, so that what we plan
today will continue to meet the needs of
a modern agricultural industry.
After the regional meetings are
completed the panel will meet in early
2014 to consider what updates are
• Receive direct and priority notification
of RD&E activities.
• Nominate or be nominated as a
Delegate.
• Elect delegates.
Participate in our regional RD&E
priority setting forums
The second week of our regional RD&E
forums kicks off in Mackay tomorrow.
We want you to put forward your
perspective on the opportunities,
challenges and RD&E priorities that SRA
should focus on in the coming years.
If you are unable to attend a forum I
encourage you to submit your feedback
via an online survey or in writing.
For more information about the funding
call, becoming an SRA Member, the
regional forums and submitting your
feedback online, visit the SRA website
www.sugarresearch.com.au
Location
Date
Venue
Time
Mackay
Tuesday 26 November
Shamrock Hotel
8.00 am – 12.00 pm
Ayr
Wednesday 27 November
Kalamia Hotel
8.00 am – 12.00 pm
Ingham
Thursday 28 November
Royal Hotel
8.00 am – 12.00 pm
Tully
Friday 29 November
Tully Mill recreation hall
8.00 am – 12.00 pm
Gordonvale
Friday 29 November
The Mulgrave Rambler
2.00 pm – 6.00 pm
25 November 2013
INDUSTRY
WHAT’SNEWS
NEW
ISSCT XXVIII Conference in Brazil
By CANEGROWERS Senior Manager –
Environment and Natural Resources,
Matt Kealley
“Fala inglese?” were the first few
Portuguese words that I learnt at the
28th ISSCT conference in São Paulo,
Brazil. Knowing that Brazil is the world’s
largest sugarcane producer was one
thing, but seeing first-hand how they
are embracing technology and best
management practices was another.
I had the privilege of attending this
year’s ISSCT Conference to present a
paper titled: Case study: Preserving the
use of diuron for sugarcane production in
catchments adjacent to the Great Barrier
Reef. The paper was well-received and
I had at least seven questions from
the crowd on residual herbicides, best
management practices, weed issues
and environmental sustainability. The
conference itself can be best described
as papers, presentations and food,
interspersed between small talk,
conversation and a language barrier that
is broken down by the commonality of
sugarcane.
I also represented Australia on the
ISSCT Council, which consisted of a
cross section of countries dealing in
sugarcane. I found it very informative
and realised there were similar issues
worldwide. Yet one of the best parts
of the trip was the pre-congress tour
of Ribeirão Preto. This region is a highly
productive cane growing region in the
north-east of the state of São Paulo
in Brazil. Its economy is based on
agribusiness and technology and it
has excellent weather for farming all
year long.
The tour
It’s 5.30 am, close to dawn and the
sky is a dusky pink hue. I’m on the bus
tour to the mill Delta Sucroenergia and
apparently it’s a two hour drive. The
horizon starts to take on an orange
intensity. The light is just enough for
me to see my first Brazilian sugarcane
through the coach window. I still get
excited when I see cane! I know I’m just
a frustrated farmer at heart. As it gets
lighter I come to the realisation that
the landscape is cane as far as the eye
Matt Kealley in Brazil beside a truck which can apply mill mud three rows at a time.
can see. It looks pretty healthy and well
maintained - beautiful red soils. There
seems to be a mixture of early ratoon
and older cane. The cane is huge in
some blocks and I spy a mechanical
harvester and haul out bins so it must be
harvest time.
The conference tour guide hands me
a translator just as the sun breaks the
horizon. The bus is filled with people
from different countries and there is a
low din of languages I don’t understand.
The landscape undulates and is
dominated with cane, interspersed with
the odd tree and houses leading to
bigger towns and built up areas.
I arrive at the destination and after a
welcoming session move into onto the
field tour. Our first stop is the control
centre which is using GPS to monitor
and collect data on the tractors,
harvesters and trucks. GPS is used for
block set up but not all the equipment
matches the row spacing - yet. This is
planned in the next three years. I see
vinasse being applied to the field at
around 60 cubic metres per hectare.
This provides water and some nutrient.
The ratoon cane blocks are clean and
weed free and I recognise a tractor and
boom applying a residual herbicide but
unfortunately I couldn’t find out the
active ingredient.
The next stop is to the nutrient blending
site where mill mud filter press, gypsum,
and potassium are mixed by tractor. The
application is 14 tonnes per hectare via
a mill mud truck which applies three
rows at a time. This is reminiscent of
the Australian industry and on further
enquiry, the truck is a new engineering
project that looks remarkably like
the mill mud trucks developed in
Maryborough.
Next we see a case harvester with haul
out cutting green. I then view a BASF
tube planting system that uses seedlings
grown from the eyes of cane. These are
planted at 50 cm spacing at a density
of 3000 to 3500 plants per hectare in a
machine planter.
The technology and use of best practice
was staggering and I am wondering how
long it will be before Australia is using
technology and practices developed in
Brazil.
It will be interesting to see how the 2016
conference in Thailand compares to the
Brazilian experience.
25 November 2013
11
SIGN UP FOR MARKET UPDATES AND QSL NEWS AT WWW.QSL.COM.AU
ICENo.11PromptFuturesContract
20.0
Prices and dollar continue to weaken
By QSL Treasurer Stephen Stone
19.0
Current as of 19 November 2013
18.0
Raw Sugar
17.0
Raw sugar prices have continued to weaken in recent weeks,
tempering market enthusiasm that had seen futures trade as high as
20 c/lb. Market participants are left to ponder the sudden change in
sentiment, with the front contract falling to the 17.50 c/lb. level last
week.
16.0
15.0
What has changed? In a nutshell, not a great deal. The logistical issues
caused by the fire in Brazil have delayed sugar shipments until Q1
2014, effectively extending the time taken to deal with the current
surplus. With flat prices now encouraging renewed demand and likely
delay to the Thai crush, we expect price support at these levels.
AustralianDollar(AUDvUSD)
1.06
1.04
1.02
1.00
0.98
0.96
Interestingly, at the same time sugar prices have fallen more than 10%
from the recent highs, Brazil’s currency has also weakened by a similar
percentage. The manner in which sugar prices track the Brazilian
Real becomes increasingly obvious as we approach the production
costs for the world’s largest sugar producer. A simple takeaway here
suggests sugar market participants need worry less about sugar
fundamentals during the inter-crop period and pay more attention to
currency movements.
QSL’s core sugar view remains positive. We see a return to a tighter
global balance sheet for raw sugar as sugar producers in all countries
respond to a three-year price downtrend. The market does have
some sugar surplus still to digest with weaker refining and physical
premiums adjusting to help this process.
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.88
Australian dollar
QSLForwardFixedPriceContract(A$/mt)
500
480
460
440
420
400
380
2013
12
2014
2015
25 November 2013
The Australian dollar has continued to consolidate at the lower end
of recent ranges, finding exporter support at the US92.5 cent level.
What is very encouraging with regard to currency developments is
how easily our dollar weakened over the past two weeks as evidence
of a recovering US economy continued to emerge. The outlook for
the Australian dollar is also positive for the sugar industry locally. The
currency had found support under US90 cents, yet moved to US98
cents as the market awaits confirmation of the US economic recovery.
With recent stronger data from the world’s largest economy, the
Australian dollar has shown how vulnerable it is to investor preference
for US dollar assets. With diverging economic growth between
Australia and the US continuing, we see a weaker currency into 2014.
US monetary officials have been very active in having market
participants understand policy has two main tools. As the US tapers
its economic support via printing money, interest rates will not
automatically increase. Officials will taper support, yet ensure interest
rates are kept low so as not to impede the US economic recovery.
This is a significant change in how the market will likely react to policy
changes next year. We feel this will still see a lower Australian dollar,
yet the speed and size of the fall may be less than many expect.
WHAT’S NEW
QSL responds to claims of below market sales and talks sugar
supply agreements
In this issue I’d
like to address
some current
issues facing
QSL and the
industry.
‘‘
Please be assured that QSL will continue to act in the
best interests of both growers and millers in maximising
returns for the industry.
Greg Beashel, QSL CEO
Correcting the record on
commercial agreement
While I would rather not comment on
confidential commercial arrangements
publicly, I believe it is imperative that I
correct the record given claims in the
media recently that QSL sold sugar
below market value.
QSL’s primary goal is to maximise
your returns. As we are owned by
members, all profits are transparently
returned to industry.
Let me assure you that QSL does not
make agreements to sell sugar at
below market values.
This goes against everything that QSL
stands for and exists to achieve.
In fact, the agreement that has been
referred to, in the media, is one that
has been particularly successful in
achieving strong returns for you and
the wider industry and as such QSL is
looking to extend this agreement into
the future.
The element of the agreement, which
will not be extended, relates to the
availability of funding for Mackay
Sugar.
This funding was proposed to support
any bid by Mackay to purchase Tully
Sugar.
The funding is no longer relevant as
COFCO were the eventual purchasers.
‘‘
By QSL CEO
Greg Beashel
QSL continues to have a positive working
relationship with COFCO and appreciates
their ongoing support.
Cane growers have been part of the
working group that documented
these changes.
It saddens me to say that unfortunately it
appears someone is trying to undermine
the value of QSL, and by association the
Queensland sugar industry, during a
period when discussions are occurring
about future marketing arrangements.
A key principle applied to the
contractual changes was that those
not participating in buying back
economic interest sugar from QSL
should not be any worse off.
Distributing confidential documents,
which are part of normal business
dealings and trying to create false
speculation does nothing but risk
undermining the value that QSL creates
for growers and millers throughout
Queensland.
Please be assured that QSL will continue
to act in the best interests of both
growers and millers in maximising returns
for the industry.
Changes to the raw sugar supply
agreement
The QSL Board has signed off on the
new contract and it is going through
the Board approval process with each
of the participants.
The changes will be implemented for
the 2014 season.
In my next article I will take you
through our key focus areas for the
year ahead.
If you have any questions or concerns,
please do not hesitate to contact me
or one of our Industry Relationship
Managers Cathy Kelly on 0409 285
074 or Carla Keith on 0409 372 305.
The changes to the raw sugar supply
agreement that give milling companies
the option to buy their economic interest
sugar back from QSL and sell it directly to
customers have been made.
This economic interest sugar will still be
part of the raw sugar supply agreement
and will pass through QSL’s pooled
quality and logistics system, pricing pools
and advances program.
25 November 2013
13
Laying the groundwork for success
Just like you wouldn’t slap some paint on your lounge room walls without washing them, so you shouldn’t plant a cane crop
without good land preparation. This advertising feature includes information about the testing service being offered by
Ravensdown. Not only will it tell you about the soil in which your crop will grow and what it needs, it could also save you
money. There’s also some information on tillage and the tools that can make the job easier. The rewards for spending a bit of
extra time in land preparation will be clear when the crop is flourishing in the ground.
Neroli Roocke
Types of tillage
Abstracted from The Plant Cane
Establishment and Management
booklet, published 2008
considered best practice in many areas,
however some climatic zones and soil
types require more cultivation.
Preparing the soil for planting cane is a
vitally important facet to cane farming.
The soil’s shape prior to planting has a
major effect on the productivity of the
following crop cycle. Preparing the land
can involve one of two main approaches
– conventional (full) cultivation or zonal
(minimum) tillage, with variations of both
used in most cane production areas.
Conventional tillage
Provided below is a summary of the
different tillage types used in growing
cane. Zonal or minimum tillage is
Best management practice usually
prefers minimum tillage and
conventional full tillage is usually only
favoured under certain circumstances.
These circumstances include:
• Changing row direction.
• Mixing soil and changing row
direction to dilute levels of
Pachymetra (a soil fungus).
• Land levelling to improve drainage.
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25 November 2013
• Realigning a block.
• Widening row spacing to implement
controlled traffic farming.
The conventional full tillage uses
cultivation to break up row compaction
accumulated over previous crop cycles.
Conventional tillage involves several
passes with various implements to break
up the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm to
provide an adequate seedbed in which to
plant a new crop.
Excessive tillage can cause damage to
the soil structure without improving the
chance of a sound germination of the
plant cane.
Zonal tillage
Zonal tillage is favoured for cultivation
under most circumstances. Zonal or
minimum tillage includes tillage of only
the row area in preparation for planting.
The inter-row remains undisturbed and is
used as a traffic zone.
Zonal tillage is the practice of cultivating
only the row area (approximately 30
cm deep and 75 cm wide) in which to
plant the next cane crop. When rows
are planted approximately 1.83 m apart,
the undisturbed inter-row is used as a
contolled traffic zone – keeping wheels
off the row and not compacting the main
cane growing zone.
Zero tillage
Zero tillage is a relatively rare practice
which is recommended in very limited
circumstances, however research
continues. It may be suitable on some
lighter-textured soils to preserve soil
biota and soil moisture and keep weed
seeds in the soil profile undisturbed with
a reduced germination rate.
Zero tillage is the practice of directdrilling seed cane into undisturbed soil in
a sprayed-out cane block or legume crop
with no prior cultivation.
LAND PREPARATION
Auto Command tractors for greater efficiency and productivity
Supplied by New Holland
New Holland has added three new Auto
Command™ models to its T6 tractor
range which can cut fuel consumption by
10%.
The four cylinder T6.140, T6.150 and
T6.160 models produce up to 163hp and
a maximum of 676 Nm of torque with
Engine Power Management (EPM). The
compact design ensures outstanding
manoeuvrability and flexibility in
compliance with T4A emissions.
“High PTO power makes this range
perfect for specialist row crop and
vegetable operations and low soil
compaction figures are ideal for
professional spraying contractors.
Smooth acceleration and deceleration
facilitate high speed transport and
industry leading ECOBlue™ SCR
technology completes this efficient
package,” explained Don Forrester, New
Holland’s Large Tractor Product Manager.
The new T6 range has the latest
generation Auto Command™ developed
and manufactured at New Holland’s
transmission plant in Antwerp, Belgium.
Using a Command Grip, operators can
precisely adjust speed in 0.01 km/h
graduations, with a minimum operating
speed of a mere 20 m/h at rated engine
speed, perfect for specialised tasks such
as hand planting, whilst maintaining a top
transport speed of 50 kph.
In order to enhance safety, especially
when loading or transporting heavy
trailers in hilly terrain, the transmission
actively holds the tractor in a stationary
position which reduces braking effort for
operators .
The T6 Auto Command range offers
excellent comfort in the carpeted cab
with an ergonomic armrest and controls
that can be moved to a position that
suits each operator. Storage has been
increased with charging points for mobile
telephones or an MP3 player.
A large capacity 125 litre/minute CCLS
hydraulic pump is standard and assists
in saving fuel by only delivering oil when
demanded and not requiring a high
engine speed to deliver a sufficient oil
flow.
The T6 Auto Command has the best
power-to-weight ratio in the segment, at
a mere 30 kg/hp when EPM is activated.
EPM supplies a higher engine power
typically found in a larger and heavier
category of tractor. This helps reduce
compaction in the field and increases
payloads for transport tasks.
25 November 2013
15
Tillage tool makes trash incorporation a cinch
Supplied by K-Line Industries
A tillage tool from Australian-owned
company K-Line Industries is making
seedbed preparation, weed control and
trash incorporation a breeze for growers
across Queensland.
Supplying tillage equipment to Australian
farmers since 1993, K-Line’s recent focus
has been on equipment that helps with
the management of heavy residues
built up from years of farming with
conservation techniques.
Called the K-Line Speedtiller®, the tillage
tool covers a range of applications that
include efficient seedbed preparation,
effective weed control and excellent trash
incorporation.
K-Line said Speedtiller® trials are
currently being conducted for zone
tillage applications, with promising
results. They said that depending on
ground preparation methods for the
next crop, this machine has proved a real
advantage for fast, low cost preparation.
The Speedtiller® is heavy duty and has
the ability to work the soil and condition
it into a seed bed (in most conditions) in
just one pass, compared to conventional
systems taking up to three passes. In fact,
the Speedtiller® achieves the best results
at high speeds from 9-14 km/h, proving
savings of time and money.
The K-Line Speedtiller makes seedbed preparation, weed control and trash incorporation easy.
Models are available in 3 point linkage
and trailing units from 1.75 m to 13 m.
Conservation farming is an approach
to farming that uses many ideas which
work together to increase long-term
profitability: reducing cultivation to
maintain soil structure and soil water
storage, retaining stubble to reduce
erosion and increase soil organic matter,
and reducing traffic across the paddock
to avoid compaction.
The Speedtiller® has been developed
to assist in cutting up and incorporating
heavy residues into the top layers of soil,
down to 125 mm, to increase soil organic
matter and improve soil performance.
As most growers would know, providing
the optimum soil environment is
essential.
Well-structured soils have many pores
and spaces in the soil to allow good
drainage, aeration and easy plant root
growth. Organic matter is essential for
good soil structure as it helps bind soil
particles together.
Increased organic matter is also
necessary for microbial activity in the soil
and for nutrient efficiency, in order to
retain as much goodness as possible. The
K-Line Speedtiller® allows trash to be
incorporated into the seedbed.
One of the unique features of the
Speedtiller® is the easy-to-operate
lateral disc adjustment which allows
Speedtiller operators to adjust front-torear disc cutting correlation.
K-Line’s Speedtiller® is currently being
demonstrated Australia-wide.
It’s not often farmers and producers get
the opportunity to trial a quality machine
like the Speedtiller® before they buy,
so contact the dedicated sales team at
K-Line Industries on 1800 194 131 to
book a demo.
16
25 November 2013
LAND PREPARATION
Doing the groundwork on soil preparation
The investment of a bit of time and
money on a soil test can make all the
difference to successful land preparation
and a successful cane crop.
Soil tests assess the nutrient
requirements of a block so inputs, such as
fertiliser, can be managed accurately and
appropriately to maximise crop yields in a
cost effective manner.
Ravensdown Fertiliser Australia’s (RFA)
soil testing is a best management
practice service and many growers are
holding an Early Bird voucher that can be
used to offset the cost, if it’s not used for
fertiliser.
Wayne Berginey, RFA Key Account
Manager - Central Region said soil
testing assisted growers to apply the
right nutrients at the right time for the
lowest cost.
“The Ravensdown soil testing service
undergoes rigorous assessment on
an ongoing basis to ensure accuracy,
compliance to Australian standards, and
to ensure the fast turnaround that the
company boasts,” Mr Berginey said.
Growers have two options when taking
soil tests - the Sugarcane Analysis
($100), or the Comprehensive Sugarcane
Analysis ($120).
To redeem an Early Bird voucher, phone
the Customer Centre on 1800 624 122 to
have credits applied against a soil test.
The kits are available at all
CANEGROWERS offices and contain
detailed instructions.
Once the sample is returned with its
documentation, it is dispatched to the
laboratory in New Zealand and results
are normally available within 10 working
days.
Soil sample price
includes:
• Soil sampling test
kits.
• Soil analysis results.
• Soil analysis graphic
report.
• Fertiliser
recommendation
based on Six Easy
Steps.
• Courier Freight
(DHL).
Sugarcane Analysis $100
Cane grower Stephen Orr gets a soil test with the assistance of
Wayne Berginey, Ravensdown Account Manager - Central Region.
This analysis contains
all the necessary information to calculate
nutrient requirements, and provides a
fertility assessment of the nutrients that
commonly influence a crop’s growth.
Comprehensive Sugarcane Analysis $120
This analysis includes all of the
information from the Sugarcane Analysis
along with soil texture, nitrate nitrogen,
ammonium nitrogen and chloride. Soil
texture characterises the soil type further,
if not already known, which provides
additional information for determining
potassium requirements.
Why do a soil test?
• Establish the status of soil nutrients
on your farm.
• Accurately assess your fertiliser
requirements.
• Monitor the effectiveness of previous
fertiliser applications.
• Meet requirements of the Reef
Regulations.
• Meet requirements for industry
endorsed Six Easy Steps.
• Sound management decisions and
maximising your fertiliser spend.
Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Growers in the Herbert have the option
of collecting a kit from the HCPSL office
in Ingham and dropping it back there.
For best results, ensure your soil sample
has been taken no more than 24 hours
before dispatch.
If you have questions or need assistance,
contact your local Ravensdown Account
Manager or CANEGROWERS office.
Once you have the results and the
recommendations, technical assistance
can be accessed by calling 1800 624 122.
FAST BREAKDOWN
OF CANE TRASH!
9Lower operating costs
9Level seedbed preparation
tion
9Operating speeds from 8 – 12 km/hr (approx.))
93 roller options
ns available
25 November 2013
17
From cane to cattle and back again
Chris Condon, a Tully cane and cattle grower, has converted 1,294 ha of his family’s 3,844 ha property to cane production, with more to be developed
in 2014. Here he stands on a newly developed block. Photos by John Flynn.
By John Flynn
Cattle or cane, cane or cattle?
Chris Condon ponders that question as
he steers his trusty utility along a newlyformed headland on his family farm at
Warrami, on what was once part of the
sprawling King Ranch.
If the well-worn felt Akubra, nonstandard kit for cane farmers in these
parts, isn’t already a dead giveaway,
the cattle industry is in the DNA of
the newest Director on the board of
CANEGROWERS Tully. The Condon
family hails from the savannah country
out the back of Mount Garnett, just a
stone’s throw over the Kirrama Range in
an R22, but a world apart from the cane
lands of the Tully milling district.
The question of ’cattle or cane?’
doesn’t require a verbal answer from
the 30-year-old father-of-three and
aspiring cane grower. Chris Condon
represents a new, younger generation of
18
farmers joining the industry’s expansion.
Beyond the windscreen and long into
the distance, rows of freshly planted
Q208 begin their march to the heavens
on a perfectly contoured, laser-levelled
block. To our left, the chiselled walls of
a newly-dug, deep v excavator drain
provide all the confirmation needed
that a serious investment in sugarcane
production is taking place; right here,
right now.
Emerging from his utility, Chris Condon
takes a closer look at the dual row
planting on the newly developed block.
It could use a drink, after what have
been a couple of relatively dry months
in the Tully district. But, that said, it’s
keeping water away from the crop that
will be the challenge in the months
ahead in a district where farmers can be
reasonably certain that the soakings will
come.
“We’ve got some plant Q208 which has X
been fertilised, pre-emerged, it’s ready
25 November 2013
Key learnings
•
•
•
Chris Condon and his family
grow cane and farm cattle on
their 3,844 ha property in the
Tully district.
One of the most important
tasks on the farm has been
to manage runoff, and the
Condons have implemented
sediment traps, spoon drains
and deep ‘v’ drains to manage
the flow of water and prevent
nutrient loss.
Although the Condons are
expanding their area under
cane, one of the key concerns
is the ability of the Tully Mill
to be able to crush the extra
volume within the usual season
window.
LAND PREPARATION
ON FARM
to go on its way. The block’s dual row
and laser-levelled,” Mr Condon tells the
Australian Canegrower.
“The soil moisture seems to be hanging
on pretty well; it was only a few weeks
ago we got some rain and if we’re
getting some more showers in the next
few weeks we’ll be laughing.
“The ratoons are pumping really well,
especially the early cut stuff. It’s got
some rain on it and it’s firing with these
beautiful dry sunny days.
“The plant cane needs a shower of rain
now, but the cane that was planted
earlier, it’s up and away, it’s sitting
perfectly and provided we don’t get
a big downpour soon in one night, it
should be right.”
When the Condon family snapped up
the 3,844 hectare (9,500 acre) tranche
of King Ranch from the receivers of the
South Johnstone Mill in 2001, the vision
was to scale down cane production and
transform the bulk of the expansive
holding into a cattle fattening property.
More than eleven years on, that vision
has shifted somewhat, towards a future
built on a combination of cattle and
sugar with an increasing emphasis on
the latter as a sweet and reliable income
generator.
Herds of cattle can still be seen grazing
peacefully over much of the landscape
but, increasingly, the land dedicated
to cattle is on the wetter blocks or
those with topography less suited to
agriculture. Blocks that can be re-
‘‘
About 161 hectares
(400 acres) has been
redeveloped as
cane land this year
and another 161
hectares adjacent to
the newest block is
being prepared to go
under cane in 2014 as
part of a significant
industry expansion in
the district serviced by
COFCO’s Tully Mill.
“Definitely, at the
moment, it’s a good
place to be - a strong
industry to be in,”Chris
Condon said.
“Dollars per acre, it’s
either cane or cattle
for us on this farm.
“The way the cattle
prices have been the
last couple of years - it
just can’t compete.
“Dollars per acre
you’ve got to have
sugarcane on the coast
here, you can have
a few cattle on your
poorer blocks but the
economics definitely
don’t stack up to
sugarcane.”
Substantial tracts
of the land that is
being planted to
Chris Condon with part of his Q235 plant cane crop.
property under cane, with one eye on
the markets for sugar and beef.
The ratoons are pumping really well, especially the early
cut stuff. It’s got some rain on it and it’s firing with these
beautiful dry sunny days.
Of the 3,844 hectares, about 1,294
(3,200 acres) are currently under cane,
with the balance being predominately
cattle grazing country; fallow and land
to be developed for cane.
‘‘
developed into productive cane land are
being transformed in what is ultimately
a show of confidence in the long term
prospects of the sugar industry.
Chris Condon, Tully grower
cane production were actually under
cane during the years when the South
Johnstone Mill owned the property.
For Chris’s father Nev Condon, there
were some tough decisions early on as
to whether cane or cattle would be the
best option for the longer haul. In the
end, it proved a smart business decision,
in cattleman-speak, to place a few irons
in the fire and keep a percentage of the
In more recent times, the plight of the
cattle industry, particularly the live
export saga, has eased the decision
making process for Chris and Nev
Condon who, as a proud cattleman and
heli-mustering pilot, probably never saw
himself building a future in agriculture.
“When we first came here, we ploughed
a lot of cane land out and put grass in
because we were cattle background
fellas, we actually bought the property
to turn it into a cattle fattening
property,” Nev Condon recalled of the
earlier years.
“We were never, ever going to be cane
farmers; we were going to be cattle
fellas.
“We kept some cane because I just
thought we should diversify a bit.
“As time went down the track it just
X
became so obvious that we just had to
25 November 2013
19
has been dealing with
the cruel hands dealt by
Mother Nature. Cyclone
Yasi, which swept through
the district in February
2011, left a substantial
trail of destruction. Much
of the damage, though,
was already done with the
standover cane from the wet
2010 harvest. All up, about
404 hectares (1000 acres)
was planted on the farm last
year as part of a determined
recovery effort and there
are still small patches of
ratoons left over from the
worst years that will shortly
be phased out. Equally
profound have been the
infrastructure costs.
About 161 hectares (400 acres) of the Condon’s land has been redeveloped as cane land this year.
‘‘
We’ve got spoon drains leading into the excavator drains
that are built with the laser scoop just for surface water
and surface runoff; it’s an intricate network of drains.
‘‘
Chris Condon, Tully grower
grow cane, we couldn’t afford not to
have it as a cane farm.”
Returning land to cane production,
however, hasn’t been a simple exercise
in ploughing out grass and replanting.
The Condon family has set about
redesigning the drainage system to
maximise on-farm productivity and limit
nutrient loss by ensuring water gets
away quickly from the rows.
Managing runoff is crucial in a growing
district at the southern end of Tully’s rain
belt, where on-farm rainfall varies from
2032 mm (80 inches) per year at one end
of the farm to 3048 mm (120 inches) at
the other end, and where downpours as
heavy as 520mm can be recorded in
one night.
20
“The main thing is the excavator drains,
we’ve got the deep v excavator drains
to drop the water table with seepage
pipe going into those, and seepage into
the blocks where the springs are,”Chris
Condon said.
“They’re all connected and we’ve got
sediment traps on all our major drains
before they leave the farm to keep all
the sediment runoff on farm.
“We’ve got spoon drains leading into the
excavator drains that are built with the
laser scoop just for surface water and
surface runoff; it’s an intricate network
of drains but we’re farming in a wet belt
so we have to work with the water.”
By far the biggest challenge for the
Condons since entering the industry
25 November 2013
The house Chris Condon and
his young family were living
in was lost to the storm and
the impact on machinery
left to weather while sheds
were rebuilt and lives were
slowly put back in order had
a substantial impact on the
business.
“With Cyclone Yasi, the crop loss
probably wasn’t as bad as we initially
thought it was going to be, but it was
the subsequent problems that made it
worse,” Mr Condon said.
“The sheds we’ve lost and gear being
out in the weather, and houses - that
sort of thing. Trying to look after
equipment was definitely a challenge
and in amongst the harvest at the
same time.”
Dealing with the challenges of Mother
Nature and her unpredictability and
living the experience of Cyclone Yasi has
helped the young CANEGROWERS Tully
Director become a big believer in the
benefits of forward pricing and what it
can deliver to the industry in terms of
some surety for growers for the years
ahead.
Forward pricing, provided it continues
to be an option for growers, is also the
key element that distinguishes sugar
from beef as a commodity, and it’s a
lesson hammered home by the recent
Indonesian live export crisis in the cattle
industry which has left its mark on
Northern Australian cattle graziers.
“With the forward pricing, you’ve still
got to deal with nature, which has been
a big factor - the biggest factor,” Chris
Condon admitted.
X
Left: Pig control on the Condon’s Tully farm is assisted by helicopter surveillance.
Right: The Condon family has set about redesigning their farm’s drainage system, including the use of sediment traps.
“But the cattle industry has definitely
had the rug pulled out from under it
and, yeah, there’s been some more
stability in the sugar anyway and
hopefully there will be for years to
come.”
Chris Condon admits to being on a
steep learning curve with his role as
a CANEGROWERS Tully Director at a
time when the organisation enters
uncharted territory in its cane supply
contract negotiations with the Chinese
government-owned corporate miller,
COFCO.
There’s much at stake for both the
grower and the miller in a negotiation
in which the length of the season is
emerging as one of the key bargaining
points. On one side, there are the
economies of scale of operating a sugar
mill and its associated costs across an
entire season. On the other side, there
are the farmers who benefit from cane
being milled when CCS is at its best
and who want to avoid the prospect
of harvesting cane in late November
or early December when the chance of
rain is considerably higher than for the
established harvest window.
As one of the growers contributing
significantly to the industry expansion
which, at the same time, is placing
pressure on the mill to crush the
additional tonnage, the Condons have
much at stake.
“I’m definitely nervous about the
expanding area in Tully and the
possibility of the mill not being able
to crush our cane within the adequate
season,”Chris Condon said.
“If we crush cane after the middle of
November, which we will be this year, if
it happens consistently each year, the
late cut cane just won’t ratoon for the
following year.
“About us putting in more land - one of
the factors that we’re considering is ‘is
the mill going to be able to crush the
cane?’
“It is interesting - I think we need to
understand that it’s a business and
we need it to survive as well, while at
the same time we need to survive as
farmers.”
its share to the district’s biggest harvest
since before Cyclone Larry in 2006.
“We’re 10 tonne per hectare up on the
best years - you could say 10% better
than the best we’ve done before as a
farm average and the season might turn
out to be more; but at the moment,
definitely 10%,” Mr Condon said.
“Without studying the figures, it’d
probably be 50% up on what we had in
2011 and we definitely needed that.”
Farmers Teaching Farmers is
another grass-roots Reef Rescue
initiative. Reef Rescue is aimed
at addressing off-farm impacts
on water quality by encouraging
voluntary uptake of the latest
technology and best practices.
For the moment, there’s plenty to keep
Chris Condon busy on the farm, not
just with developing new blocks but in
exciting projects including establishing
new, disease free, seed cane plots using
tissue culture specimens provided by the
Tully Cane Productivity Services.
Best of all, the 2013 crop is exceeding
expectations, with the farm contributing
25 November 2013
21
CANEGROWERS classifieds
FIRST 30 WORDS FREE FOR CANEGROWERS MEMBERS book online anytime of the day or night
www. canegrowers. com. au or email Kim Thackeray at ads@canegrowers. com. au
Next deadline is Thursday 28 November 2013.
*As a FREE service to CANEGROWERS members, Australian Canegrower will print suitable classified advertisements UP TO 30 WORDS
FREE, FOR ONE ISSUE ONLY. A charge of $5. 50 will apply for each extra 7-word line or part thereof. A charge will apply for advertising of
non-cane growing activities. Advertisements must relate exclusively to cane farming activities, e. g. farm machinery etc. Advertisements
from non-members are charged at $11 per 7-word line incl GST. Only pre-paid ads will be accepted.
JOHNNY FARMING
COMPANY
Australian
Distributor
Belshina Tyres & Chinese Imports
5 Tractor Tyres
5 Earthmoving Tyres
5 Truck Tyres
5 Cars & 4WD Tyres
DROVER EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA
UTV’s, ATV’s & AG BIKES
See website for more details
P: 07 4952 2577 M: 0412 535 887
www.johnnyfarmingcompany.com.au
E: [email protected]
133 Schmidke Road Mackay 4740
Farm Manager
MSF Sugar is a farming, milling and marketing
business which produces sugar cane from
10,000 ha around Maryborough, Innisfail and
Tablelands. Continued expansion has created
opportunities for a Farm Manager in the
Tablelands region.
As Farm Manager you will have a passion for
agriculture, achieving results and developing
people into a dynamic and multi-skilled work
team. You will be responsible for managing
and conducting farming operations for over
1,000ha. Applicants must possess good
communication skills, be self-motivated, have
a “hands on” approach and demonstrated
ability in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beaulieu R.U.M.
Attention Canegrowers
The first step in achieving a high yielding cane crop
is a good strike and vigorous growth in the early stage of your crop.
This can be achieved easily by simply adding
5 litres of R.U.M per acre to your dip water.
For a cost of around $25 per acre
Can you afford not to give it a go?
For further information contact –
Burdekin & Northern Region call Wally Ford 0417 937 722
Mackay Region call Noel Jensen 0438 595 325
Childers Region call Peter Irwin 0428 427 212
WANT TO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES?
Call Kim Thackeray on 07 3864 6444
For a quick quote
22
25 November 2013
Farm planning and budgeting
Irrig. operations (Flood & centre pivots)
Crop husbandry operations
Farm and machinery maintenance
Staff organisation and supervision
Precision farming technology
Chemical user and HR licences req.
Relevant tertiary qualifications pref.
Minimum 5 years’ experience pref.
For position description and to submit
applications:
Email: [email protected].
Enquiries to Ian McDowell: 0419 675 649
Applications close Mon 02-12-13
FOR SALE
• 1 x 3.6 ton Case Excavator
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Call Ross on 4068 5499
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MEMBER
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Mossman - Tully
Graham Twyford
Machinery Sales Pty Ltd
Specialising in Used Cane Harvesting
Equipment Sales
2012 JOHN DEERE 3520 Track Harvester
9 Litre 375 HP Engine 2,670 Hrs. (Engine
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CAMECO CHW 2500 Wheel Harvester
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WESTHILL TRACK TRANSPORTER.
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Cummins L10 285 HP. Very Good
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THREE QUARTER TRACKS Maclean 6
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AUSTOFT 7700 TRACK HARVESTER
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Web: www.gtmachinerysales.com.au
John Deere 3 x tractors Model 8430.
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4200hrs $132,000 inc gst. Model 8530
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gst. Selling due to surplus requirements.
0429 686 230
26,000 “G” Class STL Shares @ 65c ea.
0400 663 907 (Innisfail area)
3 Blade chopper drums to suit a Toft
7000/7700, $550 incl. 0409 912 062
T7700 Track Frames, Hubs,
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Hirise tractor (8 foot clearance), 2 x booms,
front tank 100lt rear 500lt. IH tractor
All ready to go. $34,000 + GST ono. Phone
Peter on 0418 456 071
Harvester trailer [float], tractor drawn,
tandem axle, hyd brakes,400 high. 0413
018 884 (Mulgrave area)
INGHAM AGENCIES
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Newton Elevator Tipper Coupled to 8240
Ford Tractor.VGC. 0408 670 702
Trailco 450 irrigator, new 200m 4” hose
$13,200. Mcgrath 21ft single axle dog
trailer $8,800. Heston 1040 mower
conditioner runs well $3,800. 0407 958
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JD9400 1999 Very good condition. New
transmission and diffs. $70,000 + GST.
0409 580 586
Machinery Clearance: 2 row Grimme GB
1500 potato harvester excellend condition,
make an offer. 4 row Kverneland potato
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boxes, good condition $12,000 ono. 2
row Kverneland 3000 potato planter, set
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condition $15,000 ono. 0418 184 146
2007 Kubota 9540 Tractor, 4WD, Air-cab,
3700hrs, rego till 02/2014. $33,000 inc
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At end of crush: 3 x ’97 M100 New
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to 4T Newton Side-Tippers. 0459 632 042
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New Hydraulic Heavy Duty
OFFSETS
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$10,000 plus GST ($11,000 incl GST)
Other size offsets available are 1.8m, 2.2m,
2.5m, 3m & 3.4metres.
3 point linkage offsets available also
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25 November 2013
23
Hard Hose irrigator Pope 125mm x 300
meters $9,000 ONO. 0418 182 068 or 07
4776 5242 A/H
Used Honda CTX 200 Bushlander Ag
Motorbike, 2009 model, only 1600 klms,
excellent condition current model (half
new price) $2,750. 0429 483 815 (Home
Hill area)
Case MX135 4wd a/c coupled to 10 ton
Newton tipper g/c. 0427 655 018
2013 John Deere 3520 full track cane
harvester in good condition. New set of
8 blade chopper drums to suit JD 3520.
4WD 7810 John Deere tractor. GC. 0417
648 543.
For sale/hire: Michigan 110 HT twin
powered elevating scraper 9 foot
cut suitable for sand. 0419 826 749
(Burdekin)
2006 3510 Cameco full track harvester
10 blade chop. 24” elevator extension. Ph
John 0417 074 027 Paul 0419 779 413
Hi rise tractor based on Massey 8 ft
clearance, 1500 L underbelly tank, Silvan
inductor, 7 row dropper boom. $19,000 +
GST or near offer. 0414 582 426
John Deere 8130 20 tonne Carta triaxle transporter.
Excellent condition.
Immediate delivery. $180,000 + GST. 0419
827 386
Zetor 125 4x4 a/c cab good tractor goes
well surplus to requirements $14,000 +
Fiat 880 4x2 $8,000+ GST. Fiat 1000 super
4x2 $10,000 + GST. 0447 833 000
2 x TM175 New Holland tractors coupled
to 14T double elevator Carta tipper bins.
CVX 150 Case IH tractor coupled to 14T
Recorded rainfall (mm)
Location
7 days to 9am
Average rainfall (mm)
Year to date
Jan to Nov
3
1871
2022
7
758
806
12.11.13
19.11.13
Mossman
0
Mareeba AP
0
Cairns
1
24
1161
1821
Mt Sophia
3
27
2244
3069
Babinda
7
0
1751
3933
Innisfail
0.5
4
2989
3290
Tully
1
45
3117
3814
Cardwell
4
10
1518
1922
Lucinda
3
3
1402
1925
Ingham
36
12
1633
1835
Abergowrie
0
43
1464
1632
Townsville
21
4
676
992
Ayr DPI
9
24
529
825
Proserpine
0
34
1317
1211
Mirani
1
110
1586
1333
Mackay
0
31
1693
1382
Sarina (Plane Ck)
0
48
1764
1531
Bundaberg
0
44
1144
885
Childers South
0.8
77
1055
769
Maryborough
1
28
1228
1026
Tewantin
0.8
20
1633
1540
Eumundi
3
0
1924
1504
Nambour
4
57
1733
1516
Woongoolba
8
56
1211
1202
Murwillumbah
7
103
1548
1413
Ballina
13
59
1876
1622
Woodburn
14
22
1158
1250
(Zero indicates either no rain or no report was sent). These rainfall figures are subject to verification. Cardwell’s year to date amount is inaccurate
due to equipment failure as a result of cyclone damage. Weather forecasts, radar and satellite images and other information for the farming
community can be accessed on www. bom. gov. au. Weather report provided by Bureau of Meteorology’s Commercial Weather Services Unit.
24
25 November 2013
double elevator Carta tipper bin. 0427
160 195 (Herbert River)
John Deere Hi Crop final drives just arrived
for 30 to 55 series Tractors. 0427 835 762
(Burdekin)
90” Howard AR series rotary hoe w 4
crumb roller $4,500 inc GST. 0429 821
266
Lawnmower for sale. Late model Lawnboss
runs well, has done not much work. Must
sell $1,000 ono. 0419 705 393
Case International 770 offset 56 plate,
4.4m folded 7.5m working width. GC.
0417 765 044
6800 John Deere with 12tonne Carter
tipper. 0427 178 307
2012 model New Holland t390, duals front
and rear, brand new never used . 07 4777
4291, 0417 776 230 or 0408 187 087
Case MX135 tractor with 90 mod 10 ton
Newton tipper g/c 99 mod 10 ton Newton
tipper g/c. 0427 655 018
Underslung b/c box suit 7000.Palfinger
Hiab (pk10000a). 0409 481 269
Wa r r a n t y : A d v e r t i s e r s a n d / o r
Advertising Agents upon and by
lodging material with the Publisher
for publication or authorising or
approving of the publication of any
material INDEMNIFY the Publisher, its
servants and agents against all liability
claims or proceedings whatsoever
arising from the publication and
without limiting the generality of
the foregoing to indemnify each
of them in relation to defamation,
slander of titles, breach of copyright,
infringement of trademarks or names
of publication titles, unfair competition
or trade practices, royalties or violation
of rights of privacy AND WARRANT
that the material complies with all
relevant laws and regulations and
that its publication will not give rise
to any rights against or liabilities to
the Publisher, its servants or agents
and in particular, that nothing therein
is capable of a breach of Part V of the
Trade Practices Act 1984.
Indemnity: Advertisers and/
or Advertising Agents accept full
responsibility for the contents of all
advertisements and agree to indemnify
the Publisher against all liability and
claims or proceedings arising out of
the publication of such advertisement.
Provision of material or copy for
publication constitutes acceptance by
Advertisers and Advertising Agents of
this condition.
Chamberlain 4480 plus 10 tonne ute &
tipper. Good condition. $35,000 ono. Call
0400 905 088 or 0417 636 863
New Holland TM175 conntected to a
Carta 14T tipper VGC. 07 4777 4217
Mackay - Proserpine
12t self-propelled 6x6 elev. infielder. VGC.
6t side/tipper on Leyland tandem GC. Don
Mizzi 741 model on Fiat 750 special turbo
plus MF102 half-tracks to suit. Mason
9550 4 row precision vacuum seed planter
GC. 0438 606 578 (Mackay)
John Deere 3140 parts including complete
engine, transmission, diff, final drive. All in
good running order. 2 x 2.31/30 tyres with
cast centers. Also bonnet and side grill.
0400 948 630 (Mackay)
Large quantity used water winch hose
suitable for water transfer or make flood
hose.
4” and 4½”. 0418 986 244 or 0417 746
001
Howard AH 90” & Howard AH 80”
Rotary Hoes, both fully rebuilt, sand
blasted, painted, new galvanised panels
& new blades $10,500 / $10,000 + GST.
(will rebuild rotary hoe to specific size
required). 07 4959 5883 or 0407 643 441
1992 Caterpillar Excavator 307SSR knuckle
boom & push blade (7 ½ ton). Attachments
– hydraulic tilting hitch, 1500 mud bucket,
800, 450, 300 buckets, single leg ripper, 5
finger grab, auger drive with 400 & 600
augers, 2 half hitches, lifting jib.
1989 International single axle tip truck
1850D (8 ton carrying capacity).
9 ton aluminium loading ramps, ancillary
fuel tank with electric pump, cover tarp
and all tie down equipment. $115,000. 07
4959 5883 or 0407 643 441
1 ton fertilizer box, fitted to heavy duty
double row Hodge grubber with 10 x 1
¼ legs $3200.00 + gst or near offer. 0407
643 441 or 07 4959 5883
Toft 7000 88 model. Underslung
basecutter. 4’ plastic hood with ceiling
fan.westhill chopper adjuster.Top rollers
can be all lifted high for cutting plants.
Cab lifted. GC $55,000 + GST. 0488 541
660
Poplan billet planter, G.C., $800 incl GST.
07 4947 0139
Fear View Engineering hi-clearance spray
tractor, John Deere 2300 tractor ,air
cab, dual chemical tanks, Silvan pumps,
chemical mixer, all in very good condition
$63,000 + gst.0427 587 903 (Mackay
area)
C13 Cat industrial engine 1400 hours.
High ratio pump dive gears suit funk
pump box. 0409 597 226
70 hp Perkins motor coupled to irrigation
motor mounted on trailor - suitable for 4”
irrigator $7,700. 07 4959 7080
High speed track motor to suit 1996
full-track
Cameco
harvester
(fully
reconditioned) $3,000. 0438 789 106
Toft 4000 - 6000 base-cutter box $600.
0438 789 106
1996 Cameco full-track harvester with
Cat 3306 motor, 8 blade Westhill chop
with adjuster poa. 0438 789 106
Case Magnum 8910, 4x4, 170hp, air cab,
GC. $24,000 + GST. Weight transfer hitch
hooked to 14T gooseneck air compressor.
0427 157 025
John Deere 2140. Ready for Hi-Rise spray
tractor. No wheels $4000 plus GST 0427
157 025
John Deere Rims and Tyres 16\9\30 x 2 @
$550 each. 11\2\24 x 2 @ $250 each. Front
diff to suit 83 HP John Deere. All new
+GST. 0427 157 025
Fiat 750 tractor. Make good water winch
anchor. International 766 tractor in good
condition. 0418 495 755
Bundaberg - Rocky Point
Drop-deck, tautliner and flat top
extendable for hire. 07 4159 8174 or 0417
004 717.
Massey Ferguson 205 cane harvester,
many features $4,000. Bonel 1 ton fert.
box $3,500. 3 point linkage bag lifter
$1,000. All prices + GST. 0428 268 378
135 ML of water allocation from the Lower
Mary Irrigation area. 07 4122 2328
Fiat 1000 special x 2 wd, canopy.3pl,23-1-30
rear tyres-good condition $6,000. 0428
458 125 or 07 4157 4241 ah. (Bundaberg
area)
Howard heavy duty 90 inch rotary hoe
with gear box and crumble roller, $6,000
+ GST. 0448 034 046
Fiat 100-90 4WD $15,000. Inter 856 &
loader $12,000. High lift 6T Side Tipper
$7,000. Diesel Mazda Ute 2WD Make an
offer. Landcruiser wagon, 1992 $9,000.
Toyota Tip Truck DA115 $4,500. Dodge
245 Heavy Duty Cab Chassis $1,200.
Poplan Billet Planter $15,000. Austin 460F
Truck Cab Chasis $5,000. Prices include
GST. 0419 577 110
One pass land preparation machine for
planting. Machio 120 “ rotary hoe, 2 x row
bed former with Yeoman rippers at front.
Equals 2 x 1.8 mtr. rows plus oil cooler &
set of new blades. $16,500 inc. 0418 191
107
Grundfos SP27 11 kw submersible pump
and stainless steel shroud with control
equipment, low hours, will pump 500 lts
at 30 metre head. $4,000 + GST. 0428 843
418
800 Litre Silvan spraytank with 8m stainless
steel boom. $2,500. 0428 293 429
Wanted
Tractor tyres of all sizes. 07 4168 4664 all
hours.
Wanted: Fiat 411R. 0407 364 012
(Mulgrave)
Whole Stalk Planter with double disc
openers. Single or dual row. 0417 765
044
Wanted: 125mm x 340/400mtr Trailco
poly reel irrigator. Perkins 4.236 Perkins
diesel motor fair/good/new condition any
area. 0400 766 053
Wanted: 2 door ford sedan any condition.
0429 984 920
Wanted land plane, scoop type
preferred.0413 018 884 (Mulgrave area)
Wanted Toft 7000 cane harvester 1994 to
2001. 0466 276 474
Wanted: Engine or head to suit 8950
Kubota. 0419 772 239
Wanted: One Ford 6600 Tractor 2WD. 07
4959 1451 (Mackay region)
Wanted-- Trailer mounted water tank,
6000 ltr or more. 0409 912 062
Wanted 1994 to 2001 Toft or Cameco
cane harvester. 0466 276 474
Wanted. 2/ 12-14 ton Carta or Corradini
tippers .0427 655 018
Wanted 2 Hodge cutaway disc assemblies.
0407 581 879
Double row billet planter – fair condition.
Ordinary width. 07 4959 7309 or 0448 055
047
Wanted 1996 to 2002 model Toft 7700,
must be in good condition. 0419 601 959
Wanted Weederake in good condition.
0417 793 558
Wanted: Westhill double bin wagon
hitch and a complete Westhill double bin
wagon. 07 4959 7124 or 0429 639 602
Bonel double row cultivator 3 point
linkage with crumble rollers at rear. 07
4959 1451
Work Wanted
My name is Cyril Gilbert and I would like
to apply for a post of cane harvester
operator and general farm duties. I am
from Mauritius and well trained for the
work. Last year I was in Mackay at a place
call Habana for six months cutting cane
for a contractor. I have a work permit
for 2015. My CV is available on request.
Please email [email protected]
25 November 2013
25
TA R G E T
Have you placed your order yet?
The Target 100,000 program is about making sure Ravensdown remains
a strong competitive force here in Queensland. CANEGROWERS is urging
growers to show their support by wherever possible, significantly upping
the quota they are sourcing from Ravensdown.
To place your order, call your local representative or the Ravensdown
customer call centre on 1800 624 122.
“It’s a big commitment, but we must make certain
Ravensdown can remain in our market, to ensure competition
is kept and growers are receiving the best deal possible.”
CANEGROWERS Chair, Paul Schembri

australian canegrower 2013-11-25.indd

Transcription

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