National Summary
- The prospects of the coming harvest, combined with falling demand have seen a softening of prices for old seasons hay. The softening prices, while not unusual for the time of year, has been an interesting observation due to the generally tight stocks of hay nationwide.
- Forward hay buying has been a notable trend this week, occurring across the market in the lead up to the 2015 harvest. People with a known need for hay in 2016 are are talking with growers to secure stocks of hay in anticipation of a tight coming season.
- This week we have also noted that positive grain prices are resulting in growers considering the options for harvest; hay or grain. This may have a negative impact on the volume of hay baled but it is too soon comment on the likely extent.
Northern Australia
- Demand for new season hay remains strong in northern areas of Australia. The majority of pasture hay has been cut and there is only limited stocks of pasture hay available due to the volume that was forward bought.
- Southern areas of Queensland are continuing to experience drier than average conditions and this has seen reduced expectations of crops yields. Commentary from QLD has highlighted difficulties for large feedlots in filling orders locally, with buyers now looking to source hay from Northern NSW on the back of a good season.
Southern Australia
- The majority of southern Australia is preparing for the 2015 harvest. This has seen a fall in both interest and prices of cereal hay.
- NSW is continuing to experience an exceptional season in most regions. Farmers are weighing up options for cereal crops, with current grain prices this may see a high number of growers take crops to grain.
- All dairy regions in Victoria and South Australia have started silage, with northern areas of Victoria expected to peak in the coming weeks. There are reports high levels of interest in planting corn this year to try and compensate for low fodder yields.
- Generally we have seen a drop in demand as buyers and seller await the new season harvest. Bucking this trend however we are seeing isolated pockets of demand for hay, mainly from hobby farmers.
- In both Victoria and South Australia growers have started cutting early sown vetch and medic crops. There are some reports from SA of growers cutting cereal hay crops however the majority is still a few weeks off.
Western Australia
- The hay market in Western Australia remains unchanged this week with limited trading recorded. Reports from the WA market indicate that growers are considering taking crops through to grain due to high oat prices. This may have an impact on the overall hay production but it is unclear at this stage to what extent. The harvest is expected to begin within 4 weeks and growers express a positive view for the harvest with yields expected to be above average.
Regional Commentary
Atherton Tablelands
- Patchy rain in the region is hampering hay production.
- Rhodes grass pasture hay has been completed and irrigators are scaling back water application.
- Where some dedicated hay crops are coming off, corn plantings are going in. This is unlikely to influence hay markets.
- Hay is still moving into western regions of the state as forward orders are filled.
- Stocks are still low even with harvest completed. This suggests that hay will continue to be short in the coming months.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($300 to $390/t). Prices remain firm this week.
Darling Downs
- Irrigated crops are being harvested and yields are pointing towards an average harvest for the region.
- Good pricing for grains (in particular oats) is influencing growers to consider harvesting for grain rather than baling for hay. This may see a reduction in hay production for the region.
- Feedlots are struggling to fill orders from locally produced hay and are now starting the look outside the region to source hay. This suggests that hay stocks will be tight locally for the the coming year. It is expected that these orders will be filled from Northern NSW.
- While there is hay moving on roads the majority of this is forward bought hay and overall the market remains unchanged.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 (350 to $380/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($450 to $500/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($170 to $190/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($270 to $310/t). Prices remain steady this week.
North Coast NSW
- Ongoing drier conditions are allowing contractors and growers to cut silage ahead of schedule.
- Demand remains steady to date with favourable pasture growing conditions allowing farmers to graze paddocks rather than feeding hay.
- Prices have not changed even though stocks remain tight. A key contributing factor is limited demand as buyers wait for the new seasons hay to arrive.
- It is expected that feedlots in Queensland will be looking at sourcing straw and hay in the coming weeks.
- Straw prices have declined this week as last minutes shed clearing out is seeing traders move lower quality product onto the market.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($230 to $290/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($300 to $370/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: -$5 ($110 to $130/t). Prices have decreased this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 N/A. Limited reports of trading in sufficient quantities to be able to determine a price.
Central West NSW
- Positive grain prices combined with a good season are causing growers to consider taking crops through to grain rather than cutting for hay. This may reduce the volume of new season hay seeing stocks remain low.
- Demand has been minimal in the area as livestock farmers target grazing pastures rather than feeding hay.
- The good growing conditions in the region have resulted in a softening of cereal hay and straw prices as traders make further room in sheds for new season stocks.
- Cereal hay: -$5 ($240 to $290/t). Prices eased this week on the back of limited demand.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($340 to $400/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: -$10 ($130 to 150/t). Some lower quality product coming on the market this week saw a reduction in prices.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 N/A. There are no reports of pasture trading.
Bega Valley
- Contractors have reported that first cut lucerne crops are being taken off around the district.
- With good pasture growing conditions farmers continue their focus on utilising paddock feed rather than buying in hay. This is seeing demand for fodder softening with prices easing as a result.
- Dairy farmers are managing fat and protein tests of milk with the addition of some lower quality hay but these reports are few in number and is yet to influence the prices.
- With Western areas of the state shaping up to have a good season, buyers in the Bega Valley are talking with sellers to secure hay stocks for 2016.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($270 to $300/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: -$5 ($330 to $380/t). Prices have declined this week.
- Straw: -$5 ($180 to $190/t). Straw prices have declined this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($240 to $260/t). Prices remain steady this week.
Goulburn/Murray Valley
- Silage production is well underway in the region supported by warmer conditions over the weekend.
- The activity of silage conservation seems to have influenced livestock farmers to initiate talks with growers with numerous reports of farmers wanting to buy off the back of the baler.
- Some irrigation is being used to finish crops after below average winter rainfall. This will see an increase of stocks.
- The harvesting of vetch crops continues in the northern part of the state and it is expected that cutting oaten hay crops will begin in two weeks.
- While demand for new season hay is strong, spot market demand for last season hay is minimal. The renewed interest in new season hay has prevented any prices falls this week.
- It is still unclear if the 2015 harvest deliver enough hay to remove concerns about hay supply through 2016.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($210 to $260/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($310 to $360/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($80 to $110/t). Straw remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($150 to $180/t). Pricing remains steady this week.
Gippsland
- Some farmers have taken advantage of warm conditions over the weekend for first cuts of silage.
- Warmer conditions and good rainfall in the region have given rise to good pasture growth rates resulting in farmers graing pasture rather than buying hay.
- It should be noted that conditions in Gippsland are varied, with isolated reports that localised areas are experiencing a poor season. This may see a greater effort for summer crops and fodder conservation efforts.
- Trading has been slow in recent weeks, a trend that is expected to continue into the harvest.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($240 to $300/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($350 to $410/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($120 to $150/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($180 to $240/t). Prices remain steady this week.
Southwest Victoria
- There continues to be downwards pressure on prices as buyers exit the market with a preference to wait for new season’s product. This has resulted in a decline of straw and cereal hay prices.
- Even with a decline of prices for straw and hay, demand is dropping off in Southwest Victoria with farmers grazing pastures rather than buying hay.
- Commentary from the market continues to highlight that vetch is being harvested in the Wimmera and Mallee. The majority of this is going towards filling forward orders.
- Limited demand this week has resulted in easing prices as the majority of buyers and sellers wait for the 2015 harvest to begin before trading resumes in earnest.
- Cereal hay: -$15 ($220 to $240/t). Prices have fallen further this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($310 to $350/t). Remain steady this week.
- Straw: -$10 ($100 to $120/t). Prices have declined again this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($180 to $230/t). Prices have increased this week.
Southeast South Australia
- A lack of interest has applied downwards pressure on prices for cereal hay and a sharp decline was recorded.
- Trading is slow at present. A kind winter in the key dairy regions has resulted in good pasture growth coming into spring, therefore demand is slow.
- Silage conservation efforts are beginning in the dairy regions backed by good conditions.
- There have been some reports of lucerne prices softening but this has not transferred through to the overall market prices. New seasons product becoming accessible has been the catalyst for this.
- With the hay season not too far away many buyers and sellers are sitting out of the market in anticipation of the 2015 hay harvest.
- Cereal hay: -$25 ($250 to $300/t). Prices have fallen this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($300 to $350/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($110 to $130/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($180 to $240/t). Prices remain steady this week.
Central South Australia
- Demand has picked up as smaller acreage farmer look to secure lower quality hay at competitive prices. Due to the small purchase orders this has not influenced prices.
- The first medic crops have been cut and are currently drying on the ground.
- There is commentary from the market that the first cereal crops have been cut however it is expected that the bulk of the harvest will take place within the next two to four weeks.
- Growers are commenting that yields are up twenty to thirty percent on last year’s harvest which has maintained an optimistic outlook.
- Overall the market has been described as “static” with most buyers and sellers focusing on the coming harvest.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($220 to $280/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($280 to $340/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($120 to $130/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: N/A. No reported trading.
Southwest Western Australia
- The good growing season, coupled with strong commodity prices for oats is influencing some growers to choose to take oaten crops through to grain rather than cutting for hay. This is likely to impact on overall hay production but it is too early to estimate to what extent.
- Interest from the domestic front remains minimal. However, some large cattle businesses have been talking with growers to secure livestock feed.
- With the hay season not too far away many buyers and sellers are sitting out of the market in anticipation of what the 2015 hay harvest will bring.
- No price changes as a result of minimal trading occurring.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($200 to $220/t). Prices remain steady.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($490 to $530/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($90 to $110/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($160 to 200/t). Prices remain steady.
Northwest Tasmania
- Demand remains steady in the region with livestock farmers still experiencing shortages of paddock feed.
- There has been a reprieve for dairy farmers this week some rainfall reported in key dairy regions.
- There continues to be a large variation of hay quality in the market as sellers draw on old season hay to meet buyer demand.
- Farmers are starting to look towards the coming silage harvest, starting discussions with contractors.
- There are some reports of buyers showing resistance to current fodder prices with spring growth anticipated.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($240 to $280/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($310 to $350/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($170 to $200/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($190 to $260/t). Prices remain steady this week.