At the Halfway Point, Australia’s Harvest Is Looking Good

By Jim.Robinson|April 12, 2012

Cotton picking is well past the halfway mark in Central Queensland and is rolling through southwestern Australia, while growers in the eastern Darling Downs and southern border districts are primed to make a start in the next week or two.

The cool, wet conditions of summer that brought flooding to some areas have cut into yield potential, but the country’s production is still expected to reach a record 4.4 million bales, according to a story posted on www.queenslandcountrylife.com.

Central Highlands Cotton Growers and Irrigators Association President Ross Burnett said picking had resumed in the Central Queensland region after 160 to 180 millimeters of rain two weeks ago brought harvest to a halt.

“There is potential for some downgrading due to the rain event and it will have an impact on potential yield,” he said. “But overall, it is shaping up to be better than the last two years.”

The picking of irrigated crops around Emerald should be completed within the next three weeks, while the substantial area of dryland cotton planted around Clermont in December will be last to be harvested.