Even though farmers’ margins had been trimmed significantly the arable industry was well placed to tread water during the more challenging times it now faced.
It had welcomed the Government’s introduction of stricter biosecurity rules to try to stop unwanted pests and diseases arriving in NZ.
The rules, which come into force in December, would apply to the 5800 approved transitional quarantine facilities that ranged from large commercial operations near ports to small businesses that imported one or two containers a year.
As part of the major shake-up the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) had indicated some facilities might be deregistered.
Wigley said the industry had expressed concern about several breaches this year, including the invasive weed velvetleaf which had been imported with fodder beet seeds.
The federation had been worried about the transport of seed as well as the storage of local alongside imported products.
“We were particularly concerned about some transitional facilities and how they were run and so we’ve been lobbying MPI for the last year.
“This is a good result for the industry going forward,” Wigley said.
Meanwhile, less maize was likely to be grown in the new season than last as growers’ decisions reflected the 2016 harvest.
The Arable Industry Marketing Initiative’s (AIMI) latest maize survey showed while estimated total tonnage for the latest season was the same as the previous year there was a greater volume yet to be sold.
As a result spring maize plantings were likely to be down because of the greater volume of unsold grain from 2016.
Average yields of both maize grain and maize silage were up on last season.
The average yield of maize grain at11.8t/ha compared to 11.4t/ha last season and the average yield for maize silage was 21t of drymatter (DM)/ha compared to 19.7t DM/ha in 2015.
The higher yield of maize grain offset the reduction in area planted. The estimated total tonnage for the 2016 season, even though planting was down 3%, was the same as the previous season at 226,000 tonnes.
At June 1 45,000t was unsold compared to 35,000t at the corresponding time last year with most of the unsold crop not harvested at the beginning of June, the time of the survey.
The maize silage harvest was completed at the time of the survey with the estimated total tonnage of 866,000t DM down 12% on the previous season’s silage harvest.
Yield was up by 7% but harvest area was reduced by 18%. There was 365,000t (42% of total crop) DM unused or unsold.
Survey indications of spring sowing intentions for maize grain were for significantly lower planting, as much as 36% down on last season.
Some growers were not prepared to make sowing predictions, citing uncertainty over price and contracts as a key reason.
Spring sowing intentions for maize silage were down 8% on last season because of an oversupply, poor demand from the dairy industry and the expense of growing maize as opposed to alternative crops.
