A record 4000ha of cotton has been planted by Kimberley Agricultural Investment (KAI) in the area’s Ord Valley, the largest cotton crop for KAI and the biggest in the valley’s history.
Planting finished in mid-March in an area with some unique challenges when it comes to cotton and its growing season.
The last of the 4000ha of cotton for KAI went in last month [March], using six Case IH Early Riser planters and Case IH Magnum 340 tractors to achieve the massive task over the three-month planting period, punctuated by regular periods of heavy rain.
“Because we’re planting during the wet season, you might only get a window of a few days, so to maximise that opportunity it’s great to have that many planters and tractors on hand to get as much done in a relatively short period of time,” said Luke McKay, KAI Farm Manager.
When the decision was made to dramatically increase the size of KAI’s cotton crop, four new Case IH Early Risers were purchased last year and Luke said they were impressed with the way the fleet performed this year.
“They went really well and did the job in pretty challenging conditions,” Luke said.
“We’ve got nearly 4000ha [of the cotton] out of the ground and it looks outstanding in what is pretty hard conditions. We had 400mls of rain over the time [the majority as the crop went in] and then weeks of 40-degree temperatures back-to-back, so it’s a wild environment.”
Luke said he appreciated the precision planting aspects of the planters and integration with the tractors, with the metering on the units a notable feature. Two of the Early Risers also have hydraulic downforce, which has been such a success that KAI is planning to upgrade the other units to include it in time for next season.
“It makes a phenomenal difference in the conditions we have. When you’re running six planters you can be changing fields every three hours so knowing you have repeatable ground contact and depth - that hydraulic downforce feature makes a huge difference to your emergence,” he said.
Luke went on to elaborate on its benefits, saying it was particularly useful in wet conditions.
“Because it’s wet, if you set the planter up, and then put another 20kg of seed in, it changes the operation of the planter, whereas with hydraulic downforce it can hold the planter off the ground to where you had it set up so it doesn’t matter how much seed is in there. The operator doesn’t have to stop and check as much and when I’ve looked behind the planter and seen how it is, I know that’s going to be repeatable for the rest of the day,” he said.
Luke said the precision technology of the Early Riser planters and Magnum tractors meant it was straightforward to standardise the equipment, meaning if there were changes in operators – which there often are with such a large workforce and machinery fleet – they didn’t have to negotiate differences between one tractor and the next.
Planter closing systems are crucial for maximising seed-to-soil contact and ensuring even emergence, and the Early Riser features a two-stage system, providing for a perfect finish that gets the seed off to a fast, uniform start.
“In our environment there is a narrow window of good ground conditions. It’ll be too wet and then without blinking your ideal planting depth can be too dry not long after the field becomes trafficable. So you need to push the boundaries of operating conditions whilst trying to maintain the basics of planting – consistent depth and soil contact. So, the closing system is pretty important,” Luke said.
“And even though it can be really wet, you would think that would make it easier, but it does make a big difference, and the Early Riser has proved its value in this area.”
KAI’s General Manager, Jim Engelke, said KAI had been operating in the region for the past 12 years, planting its first commercial crop of cotton in 2018 – 350ha that allowed the KAI team to test theories and systems related to growing cotton in the conditions.
They soon realised growing cotton to the east coast formula was not an option in WA’s north-east corner, so after looking at the seasonal conditions they determined planting through the wet season, from January to March, and then picking from July to September was the best strategy.
Successful crops followed, but never more than a few hundred hectares because the nearest cotton gin was Dalby in Queensland, so freight costs and transport availability made growing any more than that economically unviable.
Following the decision in 2023 to build a cotton gin near Kununurra, which is due to start operating by the middle of this year, KAI has significantly increased cotton plantings. Built by Kimberley Cotton Co, the development has also opened up other regional development opportunities.
Jim said the building of the gin has resulted in major re-development upgrades for nearby Wyndham Port, with the state and federal governments committing funding for infrastructure upgrades and the port granted all-important First Point of Entry status.
The ability to export local products like cotton had the potential to usher in a “major economic shift for the region,” Jim said.
The cotton will be picked from July to September, and with the increase in the investment in KAI’s cotton crop this year while combined with much more scope for maximising the crop’s profitability, the team is hoping for a bumper season.
“It’s an exciting time for the whole region, and the unique challenges agriculture faces up here just makes the outcomes all the more rewarding,” Jim said.