THE AUSTRALIAN hay season has been delayed by nearly a month but big things will come to those who wait according to Australian Fodder Industry Association chief executive John McKew.
“We don’t have a firm handle on what yields will be like, but we expect quantity to be up, there are some very big, bulky hay crops out there,” he said.
He said he did not expect abandoned hay crop, whether legume hay, such as vetch, that got too wet and has been sprayed out for a green manure phase or oat crops that have gone rank and will be now taken to grain would impact too much on total tonnage.
“The industry is banking on there being quite a lot of hay about.”
However, he said in the quality hay sector it could be a different story.
“It may be a bit more difficult finding that quality oaten hay for export as farmers just could not get out on the paddock to cut it when it was at its peak, quality-wise.
“There will certainly still be export hay around, but it may impact on our ambition to export a million tonnes of hay this season.”
Mr McKew said 80pc of Australia’s hay exports was oaten hay, with smaller amounts of other cereal hay and legume hay.
Grain Producers Australia (GPA) chairman and Victorian farmer Andrew Weidemann said hay cutting was in full swing in Victoria’s north but questioned whether hay production would be as high as some forecast.
“A lot of vetch has been sprayed out, it has been too wet for pasture hay in the southern hay regions and oats are being taken through to grain harvest as they have gone rank.”
“Along with that, there won’t be the volume of failed cereal grain crop hay we’ve had coming out of low rainfall zone cropping areas in the past two years.”
“Everyone is talking a hay glut, but the exporters will be after every tonne they can get that makes their specifications, so there might less about than you think.”
Feed Central national supply manager Cieren Maxwell said demand for export hay into China was booming.
He said Feed Central was accumulating a 30,000 tonne consignment of oaten hay to go to China in the Riverina.
“The order is mostly filled but spaces are still available,” he said.
Mr Maxwell said last year a similar export deal was done for 20,000 tonnes.
“There’s a 30,000 tonne order; we’ve booked most of it but will have room for a little bit more,” he said.
He said early quality tests were positive with quality matching quantity.
Mr Maxwell said southern NSW hay producers had managed the prolonged wet period in their region well.
“Farmers have had to change their cutting and raking techniques given the damp conditions but it is full steam ahead now,” he said.
Mr McKew said AFIA was expecting domestic hay prices to fall this season, in light with increased production and lower quality.
“Demand is very subdued at present, people are sitting back and seeing what is going to happen as the hay is cut.”
He said he thought southern pasture hay producing regions could still recover.
“We’ve seen it before, if things fine up and we get some warm weather a lot of pasture will recover quickly.”