Category: Industry Information

Miscellaneous information

Harvesting Efficiency: dollars in your pocket, not in the paddock

Kalagro
 

Harvesting efficiency: dollars in your pocket, not in the paddock

27 February, 2018

Sugarcane growers, millers and harvester operators will hear how they can harvest the maximum amount of sugar and cane from the paddock at a series of upcoming regional forums across the Australian industry.

Harvesting efficiency and optimisation is a major focus area of Sugar Research Australia’s investment on behalf of the Australian sugarcane industry, and will be the topic of the regional forums being held in 12 locations over the coming weeks leading up to the 2018 harvest.

SRA Adoption Officer for Harvesting, Mr Phil Patane, said improving harvesting efficiency is a complex problem that involves multiple stakeholders and considerations, but is also a major opportunity for the Australian industry to extract more from value chain.

“SRA has trial results building to show cane and sugar loss as a result of a range of economic drivers across the harvesting, transport, and milling value chain,” Mr Patane said.

“In some cases, practice change may come with additional costs, but SRA is working with growers, millers, and harvesting groups across the industry to provide them with precise information to help inform their decisions.

“In order to make practice change, the industry needs detailed information on what losses are occurring and what they stand to gain if they change practice to further optimise the harvest.

“This has been the focus of on-farm demonstration trials in 2017, where we have worked with local harvesting groups, in their own conditions, to define what sugar and cane loss they may be incurring.

“The 2018 forums will report extensively on the results of these demonstration trials. The forums will also be an opportunity for harvesting groups to take part in a new round of demonstration trials for the coming harvest. This will allow them to assess harvesting efficiency in their own local region, and local conditions.

“The forums will also present information from a range of innovative research activities.

“We will hear about research that is looking at the design and function of harvesters to see if improvements can be made to ensure we are harvesting more sugar. We will also hear about a new online tool, called SCHLOT, which provides advice for harvester operators to optimise the harvest.” read more

Burdekin Shire Council Feral Pig Workshop

Kalagro

Please find attached a flyer for Burdekin Shire Councils Feral Pig Workshop, to be held on Friday 9th March 2018 at Burdekin PCYC.

This workshop is for all landholders with Feral pig issues especially those pressed for time on the land will appreciate the latest technology in wireless pig traps with Southern Cross Trapping.

Council and Biosecurity Queensland will update the audience on services and obligations of landholders.

Burdekin Productivity Services and Conservation and Wildlife Management Queensland will give landholders options with their knowledge and services and NQ Dry Tropics will give an overview of collaborative NRM in the Burdekin

thumbnail of Feral Pig Workshop Flyer

Olam International – Mungbean Open Day- Sunrice, Brandon.

Kalagro

Olam International is a leading global integrated supply chain manager and processor of agricultural products and food ingredients, supplying various products across 16 platforms to over 12,300 customers worldwide.  With a direct presence in more than 65 countries with sourcing and processing in most major producing countries, Olam has built a global leadership position in many of its businesses. In Australia, we operate in multiple products including cotton, dairy, cocoa, almonds and pulses.  The major shareholder in Olam is Temasek  ( a Singapore state-owned investment company) followed by Mitsubishi Corp and as such, Olam is able to offer financial security to anyone doing business with them.  Olam already has processing and storage facilities on the Darling Downs, but since the demise of Blue Ribbon Group who went into liquidation last year, Olam in conjunction with Sun Rice at Brandon are now offering marketing and processing options for the Burdekin region.  As well as these services, wholesale and retail sales of mungbean planting seed will be available.

Sun Rice at Brandon will be holding an open day from 11:00am to 2:00pm on Thursday 1st March, 2018 (BBQ lunch included) and any growers who are interested in finding out more about Olam’s services are invited to come along. For any further enquires, and to RSVP, please call Leigh Beutel on 0428 155 539.

BPS SMUT UPDATE

Kalagro

BPS – SMUT UPDATE

There have been some concerns regarding ongoing smut issues with SRA8 in the district.  Following the discovery of smut in SRA8 in some plots last year, there has been some misinformation regarding the management and spread of the disease.  SRA pathologists have advised that SRA8 grown commercially with minimal stress is unlikely to contract smut in high levels early in the crop cycle.  Growers who have planted SRA8 should ensure it is well irrigated with appropriate nutrition and weed control.  Anyone planting SRA8 or other intermediate rated varieties, should plant with the fungicide Sinker to assist in control of the disease and minimise stress.  General farm biosecurity such as cleaning and sterlisiation of equipment should also occur.  Growers should also be aware that other varieties in the region are rated as intermediate for smut. Q252 is rated intermediate-susceptible, and Q208 and Q183 are rated as intermediate-resistant.

SRA 8 has been planted on the P&K farm and there is some smut in SRA 8 1st ratoons.  This is the commercial cane that is sold to the mill, not growers.  Smut has not been detected in any of the cane in the distribution plots that is sold as approved seed cane.  BPS will be regularly inspecting and monitoring the approved seed cane and should any smut be detected in the approved seed cane it will not be sold to growers.  Please contact your field officer if you have any questions.

KCGOL endorses the need for growers to remain vigilant at all times especially during heightened level of smut activity in the district due to favourable climatic conditions.

QSL Study Tour – Japan

Kalagro

Good afternoon

QSL  is looking at hosting a study tour to Japan in May this year. The tour is open to all growers (and their partners).

We are calling for expressions of interest to attend, with spaces allocated on a first -in-first served basis.

You can find a flyer with the information here.

I have emailed to all Growers this afternoon but feel free to forward this link to your members.

http://www.qsl.com.au/news-media/qsl-study-tour-japan

Regards

Carla Keith Industry Relationship Manager Mobile +61 409 372 305 [email protected] www.qsl.com.au

LOWER BURDEKIN HOME FOR THE AGED SOCIETY – LOCAL ASSISTANCE SOUGHT

Kalagro

With cyclone season upon us Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged is seeking local assistance. Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged in Ayr has a backup generator to fully supply electricity needs in the event of natural disaster e.g. cyclone.  They have learned from Cyclone Debbie the experience in Bowen that power restoration was a slow thing and accessing a supply of diesel was even slower.  If the home suffers a power loss they have the ability to maintain emergency power for approximately 24 hours, after that they will require diesel.  This meets their requirements in most events but if there is undue delay then they will lose power to what is now an essential service.

Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged is a not for profit organisation and resourcing diesel storage is not a viable option since it can’t be used elsewhere within the facility.

Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged would like to have ‘diesel angels’ they can call upon to leave a field trailer/s at the home during a prolonged emergency eg. cyclone.  Home would pay for diesel utilised during outage and this would allow them to keep the lights on/services running.

If anyone is interested in assisting the Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged in this regard please contact Jim Collins, General Manager. Contact details are:

Mobile: 0407 219 420

Phone: 07 4783 0100