Reflections on the 2016 - 2017 cotton crop

As cotton picking draws to a close, most will agree that it has been a most challenging growing year. Roll on next season!

Cotton growers across Queensland and NSW are breathing a collective sigh of relief as the 2016/17 cotton season draws to a close. Conditions proved challenging with a record number of cold and hot days, as well as limited rainfall registered in many cotton growing areas. The season looked promising early on, with 470,000 ha of cotton planted, more than double the area planted two years earlier. But it wasn’t to be. Cold shock shortly after planting, followed by heat shock in January and February, knocked yields back significantly.

Water was less of an issue for irrigated cotton growers thanks to an extremely wet winter and spring last year, which filled storages and moisture profiles. Healthy storages helped keep the water up to irrigated cotton which ended up yielding up around 10 bales to the hectare or more. Weather conditions and temperatures still meant yields across both dryland and irrigated cotton were generally down compared to last year.

Cotton Research and Development Cooperative (CRDC) Executive Director Bruce Finney said new technologies performed well, despite the conditions, and were a positive to be taken from the 2016/17 season. “This season is seen by many as the beginning of a significant growth phase in the Australian cotton industry,” he told Spotlight Magazine recently, referring to changes in the planting window for Bollgard 3 cotton varieties and more broadly the continuous improvements in yield, production practices and sustainability delivered by cotton RD&E.

While there were still some outstanding irrigated cotton crops grown (pictured), the 2016/17 season can only be described as disappointing and growers will no doubt be looking forward to sending the last bales off to the gin. 

Posted on Wednesday, 17 May 2017
in Latest News
cotton
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