Contemporary threads: Central Queenslanders swap cattle for cotton

While pork costs are reaching file heights, some farmers in central Queensland are changing from cattle to cotton. 

Greg Hutchinson of Hutchinson Ag mentioned the cattle on his property in the Dawson Valley had been slowly being pushed to the attend corner as he developed extra cropping nation. 

“The returns we have been in a articulate to get from the irrigated cotton far surpass one thing that we have been in a articulate to attain with cattle,” he mentioned.

“It’s fivefold potentially what the execrable returns, it’s worthwhile to be in a articulate to really get off an irrigated cotton chop and even better when cotton costs are at a thousand bucks.

It appears to be like to be other growers in the articulate win also sensed the chance.

Ian Becker lives at Passchendale near Moura and has planted cotton for the first time.

He said with input prices on the rise, the decision was all about the bottom line. 

“We’re a young family, taking on debt, so we have to be growing those high-value crops,” he said. 

“Gross margin was probably top of the list as to why we made the decision to grow cotton.”

Just down the road at Paranui, Scott Becker has moved into cotton as well. 

“We were driven to get irrigation going and cotton is a really good fit when you look at the return per megalitre per hectare,” he said.

“It’s a bit of a learning curve … but we’re all still smiling and happy … I think it’s a good feeling in the industry and a good industry to be in.”

Why cotton? Why now?

Greg Hutchinson said the climate has always been a major drawcard for growers in central Queensland.

“We get a lot of get-out-of-jail-free cards here in central Queensland in that we’ve got a long planting window,” he said. 

“You run out of water [then] you get out of penitentiary. You get too phenomenal water [then] you get out of penitentiary.

“The factor that has held this articulate attend is an absence of water.”

That every person changed in 2019 when a Strategic Water Infrastructure Reserve (SWIR) was launched into the Dawson Valley Administration Pickle on a three-yr trial basis.

This water reserve is allocated to future infrastructure traits in the articulate and potential licences encompass conditions to meet environmental dart with the slump targets and offer protection to original customers’ get true of entry to to water.

Andrew French grows cotton at Nandina near Theodore. 

He mentioned grower get true of entry to to the SWIR water has transformed the articulate.

“It’s really boosted productiveness in the Dawson Valley,” he mentioned.

“It’s created a number of new traits and or no longer it’s really increasing the viability of the valley.”

Greg Hutchinson mentioned growers win invested heavily off the attend of this SWIR water release. 

“Irrigators win spent millions of bucks constructing off hobble storage, putting pump stations in, constructing irrigation fields,” he mentioned.

Time ticking on trial decision

The water licences granted for the SWIR water are attributable to expire in September and there was no talk of future water get true of entry to. 

Ian Becker mentioned even supposing the water was launched on a trial basis, many growers had invested heavily off the attend of the water release and will be left in limbo.

“All people was very upfront and they mentioned that that is good a three-yr option, nonetheless to head and release such a factor and no longer seek information from of us to form off the attend of it, it correct don’t had been utilised.”

Scott Becker agreed and mentioned it might maybe maybe probably perchance perchance be a smash to let water that meets all environmental dart with the slump conditions shuffle out into the ocean and be wasted. 

“The teaspoon that we’re removal of the river can even lend a hand manufacture the native financial system and a total heap of the things that near along with the vegetation we’re rising,” he mentioned.

“I mediate or no longer it’s far a monumental factor.”

Greg Hutchinson mentioned even supposing many growers win taken a gigantic gamble by investing so heavily off the attend of a trial venture, the implications of the trial had been overwhelmingly sure. 

“We have taken a mammoth gamble that the authorities goes to renew the SWIR and have it readily obtainable all over again nonetheless there’s been very restricted knowledge coming from the division,” he mentioned.

“It has been disappointing since the venture has been so successful.

“This yr by myself there’s potentially been a further 20,000 bales of cotton produced on the attend of that SWIR water.

“In case you put that in buck phrases at $1000 per bale that’s a further $20 million bucks production that’s long gone into farmers’ pockets and into community firms around the town and proper the native financial system.”

Andrew French mentioned it was significant the division made contact with growers because a call was severe for planning future seasons and further expansions. 

“A decision is a truly significant,” he mentioned. 

“I mediate or no longer it’s far significant the division comes out to those areas and they talk about it,” he mentioned. 

“There are correct a number of unknowns.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Regional Pattern, Manufacturing and Water mentioned the trial was for a length of three years concluding in September 2022.

“The division is endeavor a overview of the pilot program,” the spokesperson mentioned.

“Stakeholders had been consulted and initial feedback has been equipped.

“This overview is currently being finalised.

“As soon as total, the Department will be in a put to have solutions in terms of any continuation of the non permanent release of the SWIR.”