IT’S been a long time since the stars have aligned for dryland grain and pulse growers in the state’s south-west.
And while near-record chickpea prices have got farmers chirping, barley and wheat takings are proving positive too.
St George farmers Hamish and Mary McIntyre are harvesting one of their best-yielding barley crops in years, weighing in at 3.1 tonnes per hectare.
It’s a pleasant surprise for Mr McIntyre, who had budgeted for 1.8t/ha yields from the feed barley.
“It’s very enjoyable seeing it roll in, all the waiting and expectations are over. You know the truth when it gets weighed at the silos,” he said.
Across their two properties near St George, the McIntyres have 8670 hectares of dryland winter cropping they’ll be harvesting this year.
This includes 2370ha of barley, 800ha of chickpeas and 5500ha of wheat.
Timely rain started in April with 66 millimetres and continued to see the season through.
Another 26mm fell in May, followed by 66mm in June and another 45mm in July.
“It basically stopped raining then but that what’s grown these crops,” Mr McIntyre said.
“We just realise how lucky we are and there’s people very close that haven’t received the same sort of rain. We’re all hoping the gaps fill in shortly.”
The strong yields harvested at Mooramanna have been matched with above-average prices.
Mr McIntyre forward-marketed 5000t of wheat three to four months ago on a multi-grade contract for $325/t to port. Forward contracts for the barley are equivalent to $262/t ex-farm, with chickpea done on a contract price ex-farm for $775/t.
As about 14 trucks roll off the two properties daily during harvest, some of which destined to feedlots on the Downs, Mr McIntyre turns his view to kicking his own feedlot back into action at the end of the month.
The 1500-head capacity feedlot at Mooramanna had been inactive while the McIntyres took advantage of successful winter pastures to finish cattle on.