Rain too late for cotton crop, but big help in other ways

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

While the widespread rains across south west Queensland and parts of NSW will help get the cotton crops that are in the ground through the season, they have come too late for many growers as the planting window has closed, according to Cotton Australia chief executive, Adam Kay.
“However, the rain has come as welcome relief for cotton growers who have started planting alternative crops such as corn and sorghum to give them a summer income - particularly on the Darling Downs, St George, Dirranbandi and Bourke where some growers haven’t seen a decent crop in three or four years,” he said.

“The good news is that on-farm storages are filling up, and left over water will be used to plant a cotton crop next season which we hope will be a vast improvement on the situation over the last few years,” Mr Kay said.

SOURCE: Extract from full report of the Qld rain in Queensland Country Life, January 24