READ THE FULL REPORT HERE.
Summary
Driving Prices Up
- Parts of Western Australia continues to be very dry with no rains falling in the south west again this week and pastures providing limited feed options, which is seeing available fodder supplies in some demand.
- While Tasmania has seen some additional rains this week, most of Victoria, South Australia and the north west of Tasmania are continuing to feel the effects of on-going warm and dry conditions with pastures drying out and growth falling, leading to additional supplemental fodder requirements.
- Exporters remain a player in the marketplace continuing to provide a baseline price for a wide range of cereal fodder supplies.
Driving Prices Down
- The promising mix of good timely rains and warm conditions in QLD and large parts of NSW is keeping pastures moving along and supplying feed options, which is tempering immediate demand.
- The good conditions in NSW have seen some early plantings of quick establishing varieties which will continue to provide good grazing options in winter and further balancing demand.
- Given the dry conditions, some growers are finding a market for some weather damaged hay, which had been stored unprotected outside, at a lower price point, bring the average price down or offsetting price spikes for those lines
Local News
- The southern states continue to see a marked drop in available pasture feed as warm and dry conditions stalls growth and reduces quality. This is currently affecting most of Victoria, parts of South Australia and northern Tasmania.
- As the dry conditions continue in WA the pressure on sheep flocks and the future of the industry in the face of the live export market issues are affecting the future plans of graziers, with many selling stock into the eastern states or choosing to reduce the numbers expected to lamb in the spring. This will have a flow on effect to fodder demand.
- The Bureau has stated El Niño continues and is near its end. Climate models indicate sea surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific are expected to return to ENSO-neutral later in autumn 2024, probably by the end of April. The typical drying influence of El Niño on Australia’s climate usually reduces during summer, especially in the east; however, below median rainfall is still often observed in north-east Australia. As we have seen this year and through historical data, high-impact rainfall events can occur during El Niño years, particularly during October to April when severe storm frequency peaks.
- Buyers are encouraged to feed test and view fodder before purchase to be sure of the quality of feed.