Input price optimism after dizzy heights of 2022

A correction in fertiliser price is being welcomed across the cropping industry after the enormous highs of 2022.

Bogged machinery and skyrocketing inputs set the tone during the 2022 cropping season, but now there’s a glimmer of hope for 2023.

With harvest dragging on well into January, many farmers described the season as one of the most challenging yet rewarding for crops.

Producers have not received respite from the harvest of 2022, and now ground preparation for the 2023 winter sowing period has started with weed control and fertiliser application.

The good news is there are signs of a correction in the fertiliser price.

Last year urea skyrocketed to more than $1000 a tonne. The price now sits around $650 a tonne.

The high price plus wet conditions meant some producers opted out of applying expensive inputs.

After a winter harvest that dragged into 2022 farmers are now preparing to control weeds and start sowing the 2023 crop. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Kikoira, NSW farmer Mark Hoskinson OAM from Fernleigh said it was promising to see the urea price decrease.

“It’s good to see the correction in fertiliser costs,” he said.

He secured some supplies when there were signals of a correction in the fertiliser market.

After the wet year, he said many people were now busy on the spreader

In addition to fertiliser, Mr Hoskinson said producers would be looking at diesel prices and spare parts.

He said the costs and availability of machinery parts were becoming a big issue in the cropping sector.

Episode 3 analyst and director Andrew Whitelaw said urea prices have now fallen to an average of $645 a tonne.

“This is great news for Australian producers, as (last year) it was $1090,” he said.

Mr Whitelaw said the impetus behind high input prices was the escalating energy cost, namely natural gas.

“The price of natural gas has been at extreme levels … especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” he said.

Agronomist Tim Paramore from Walla Walla with his dogs Jac and Bess.

Agronomist Tim Paramore from Paramore’s Agronomic Services at Walla Walla in southern NSW said the atmosphere was “chaotic” at the moment.

“We have had enough summer rain, and everyone is keen to get the summer spraying done,” he said.

Mr Paramore said there were a lot of weeds after the big crop from 2022.

“There’s a big range of weeds around, and some of them are harder to kill,” he said.

“Keeping the costs down can be a challenge, too,” he said.

Melons and heliotrope were culprits, and there were also the additional heavy stubbles to contend with.

He said for each tonne of grain produced; there was later one tonne of stubble left behind.

“With a five or six-tonne (a hectare) crop, that can give 10 to 14 tonnes (a hectare) of stubble,” he said.