Category: KCGO News

The latest news from Kalamia Cane Growers and Kalagro for Members Only.

Kalamia Members Notice – Crushing Start Update

Kalagro

Crushing Start Update – 2017

“Wilmar have commenced steam trials and remain on target to have all mills available to start crushing on Tuesday 13 June.

 On Tuesday this week Wilmar completed a survey of all harvest groups’ anticipated start dates. Based on the feedback it seems that mills will be progressively brought online as sufficient cane supply becomes available.

Kalamia is likely to be the first to start on or about June 14.

Invicta and Pioneer will commence crushing as north bank cane supply increases.

Inkerman is likely to be last to start early in the week commencing June 18.

Wilmar will again contact harvest groups on Monday 5 June after which a further update will be provided.

Please ensure you continue to discuss farm field conditions with your contractors.”

Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

Kalamia Cane Growers Organisation Ltd

Kalagro Ltd

140 Young Street Ayr Qld 4807

PO Box 597 Ayr Qld 4807

Tel:  07 4783 1312  Fax: 07 4783 3885

Mob: 0447 128 312

Email: [email protected]

       

Member Notice

Kalagro

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION PROGRAM

Dear Members,

Help create a Queensland and Northern Australia benchmark  

If you are a producer or advisor (in Qld, NT or WA) and interested in an opportunity to create a benchmark of the current approaches to decision making and planning for climate variability (season to season; year to year) – the Queensland and Northern Australia Drought and Climate Adaptation Program (DCAP) is looking for you. DCAP is a Queensland Government initiative to improve producer drought preparedness and resilience.  

By participating in a short web survey, you can help provide benchmarking information that will guide the program as it looks to improve the awareness and effectiveness of information and tools supporting the profitability and productivity of producers in a variable climate. To find out more about DCAP contact Neil Cliffe ([email protected]) or phone 13 25 23.

DCAP is offering a copy of the book Will it rain (developed through the program and due for publication June 2017) to every person completing the survey. You just need to leave a postal address in the box provided before clicking submit. To fill out the survey click here

 Neil Cliffe

Program Manager, Drought and Climate Adaptation Program

Rural Economic Development

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

T 07 49 670 957 M 0418 193 687 E [email protected]  W www.daf.qld.gov.au

 Thanks.

 

Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

Kalamia Cane Growers Organisation Ltd

Kalagro Ltd

140 Young Street Ayr Qld 4807

PO Box 597 Ayr Qld 4807

Tel:  07 4783 1312  Fax: 07 4783 3885

Mob: 0447 128 312

Email: [email protected]

KALAMIA MEMBER NOTICE

Kalagro

KALAMIA MEMBER NOTICE

Dear Grower

Growers that have undertaken pricing via Wilmar’s Variation of Forward Price and Pooling Agreement (TFPPA) should have recently received an email from Wilmar asking for an indication as to how growers would like to manage their TFPPA when signing a CSA covering the 2017 season, by completing and returning the above “2017 TFPPA Transfer Request Form”.

Three options have been provided for you to consider:

1.    Keep your TFPPA Pricing with Wilmar

2.    Apply to transfer all or part of your TFPPA Pricing to QSL

3.    Close out your TFPPA Pricing

Growers considering option 2. are asked to complete Transfer Request Form by 5.00pm on Monday 5th June 2017. Wilmar will provide a “Quote” in writing within 5 business days or no later than 5.00pm on Monday 12th June 2017. Growers will than have 5 business days to accept the quote, otherwise it will be deemed that grower has decided not to proceed with the proposed transfer. Acceptance of quote will deemed to be binding.

The transfer is conditional upon QSL and the relevant bank(s) accepting the transfer. QSL have confirmed they do require a “Cane Supply Agreement” to have been executed prior to accepting transfer.

Please note that when completing option 2 table you will be required to nominate “% of TFPPA Pricing to transfer to QSL” ie. if you wish to transfer all of your TFPPA pricing this figure will be 100%.  Should you wish to transfer all of your TFPPA pricing you do not record 30% (i.e. amount of your 2017 crop you were allowed to forward price).

Growers considering option 2 should ensure they have previously completed QSL Pre-registration Form or alternatively complete said form as soon as possible to enable timely preparation and execution of their “Grower Pricing Agreement” (GPA).

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact this office.

Regards,

  

Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

Kalamia Cane Growers Organisation Ltd

Kalagro Ltd

140 Young Street Ayr Qld 4807 read more

MEMBERS NOTICE – CRUSHING START UPDATE

Kalagro

CRUSHING UPDATE – DELAYED START DATES

Steve Postma of Wilmar has advised feedback from growers indicates that a continuous supply of suitable quality cane is not likely to be available until the second half of the week ending Saturday 17 June. This is very early feedback from a small number of growers. Cane supply will be reviewed by Wilmar weekly until the crushing starts.

 Based on this feedback Wilmar is currently planning to have all factories ready to crush on 13 June, though actual start dates may be later. Plans will be reviewed as Wilma gets better feedback on field conditions.

 In order to try to firm up dates as soon as Wilmar can, Logistics Officers will be ringing harvesting groups next week to start gauging when ground conditions will be good enough for a start. We encourage all growers to discuss field conditions with their contractors.”

 Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

Kalamia Cane Growers Organisation Ltd

Kalagro Ltd

140 Young Street Ayr Qld 4807

PO Box 597 Ayr Qld 4807

Tel:  07 4783 1312  Fax: 07 4783 3885

Mob: 0447 128 312

Email: [email protected]

       

RP 20 Burdekin Nitrogen Trials

Kalagro

 

Morning growers

 

Please refer to the below exert from a letter issued by Department of Environment and Heritage Protection recently, sent to registered growers participating in the RP20 Burdekin Nitrogen Trials about their use of up to 240 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare.

 

“ You may be aware that over the past five years, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has funded the RP20 Burdekin Nitrogen Trials project through Sugar Research Australia and the local cane industry. A number of farmers have worked closely with researchers to test fertiliser application rates on their farms to ensure that the nitrogen rate prescribed through the regulation would maintain yield and farm profitability.

 

In order to provide assurance to growers, a process was initiated to allow registered cane farmers to use up to 240 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare until the RP20 Burdekin Nitrogen Trials had enough data to provide scientifically robust results to determine the optimum amount of nitrogen required to maintain yields. Our records show that you are one of the cane farmers registered to apply up to 240 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare during this time.

 

The results from the trials have shown that grower economic returns are maximised over the crop cycle when good farming practices, and balanced crop nutrition based on SIX EASY STEPS, are employed. Complete trial results are available from Sugar Research Australia (www.sugarresearch.com.au), where a grower video will also soon be available. Information sessions will be held in your region in early June 2017 where you can learn more about the project results and find out what help is available to you. Project members and farmers that were involved in the trials will also be there to offer their first-hand experience and share their results.

 

Given the project has confirmed the benefits of fertiliser rates consistent with the SIX EASY STEPS, the maximum application rate of 240 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare will no longer apply from 1 July 2017. read more