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The 2015 Grain Harvest has been a game of two halves, according to survey results released by the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI).
Federated Farmers Grain and Seed vice-chairperson, David Clark, says while drought conditions during the growing season has reduced the yields on dry land that has been balanced out by improved yields on irrigated land resulting in total harvest yields being very similar to 2014 across all grains.
“The survey shows the large surpluses of unsold grain in the previous 2013 season have well and truly gone, however available stocks of grain are very similar to last season which leaves the NZ Industry well placed to provide domestically grown feed to assist in drought recovery.“
When looking at the individual grain types, the Milling Wheat harvest yielded a total of 102,000 tonne with 14% or 14,200 tonne unsold compared with 22,000 last year and 49,500 two years ago.
An estimated 300,500 tonne Feed Wheat was harvested with 16% or 48,000 tonne unsold compared to 65,000 and 135,000 in 2014 and 2013 respectively.
“There is a little more feed barley available, which I’m sure will be snapped up quickly by the drought affected farmers. To be precise AIMI estimate a total harvest of 389,000 tonne, slightly up on last year with unsold stocks of 75,000 tonne compared to 45,000 tonne last year. This is way back on the whopping 157,000 tonne that was unsold at this time in 2013,” says Clark.
“In total, unsold grain stock as at 1st April is on par with last year, but it is only 36% of the tonnage that was available to the market in 2013.”
Clark finished by saying “Forward contracted grain, pre-sold to end users, matches last years’ tonnages so merchants and processors are well stocked to provide local product which is a key part of the spring feed solution.”
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