Published Monday, 25 June, 2007 at 08:50 AM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
PEANUTS PUT SUGAR-COATING ON CANE
June , 2007
PEANUTS PUT SUGAR-COATING ON CANE
Mackay’s Blackburn brothers bit the bullet in the face of declining sugarcane yields six years ago and adopted peanuts as their preferred legume break crop, and would safely say, they have not looked back.
David and Phillip Blackburn’s peanut cropping venture represents a significant capital investment in specialised planting and harvesting machinery plus a peanut cleaner – a cost shared amongst three neighbouring North Eton cane growing families.
David Blackburn conceded that honing their peanut cropping skills was a steep learning curve and although the extremely wet and humid climatic conditions this summer were far from favourable, they were undeterred.
“This season we are anticipating a market return of $1300 to $1500 a hectare of high quality peanuts which will certainly cover costs and deliver a return on our capital investment,” Mr Blackburn said.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said the Blackburns were among the first Mackay region canegrowers to take up the integrated sustainable farming systems challenge as a part of FutureCane to assist them with their venture.
“The Blackburn brothers employed the Controlled Traffic Farming system, modifying all their machinery including the cane harvester and haul out bins,” Mr Mulherin said.
“All their farming operations are now based on the CTF system and in conjunction with GPS guidance has the potential to reduce compaction by up to 45 per cent when compared to the conventional system. There are added benefits of improved fuel efficiency and enhanced water infiltration.
“David and Phillip’s wholesale adoption of CTF is working proof that the system delivers timely operational efficiencies to contribute to increased productivity and profitability.”
The Blackburn brothers farm 243ha and, as part of their established legume break crop to halt falling sugarcane productivity and profitability, they grew 15ha of Menzies variety peanuts this year in dual rows on 1.8m beds.
Mr Blackburn said the peanuts were planted on November 20 and have required no supplementary irrigation.
“We were managing the crop on a stringent 10-day spraying program to keep the rust at bay but incessant wet weather kept our 18m boom spray off the paddock and restricted timely aerial spraying,” he said.
“The peanuts had excellent potential but the rust invasion caused an estimated 30-40 per cent yield loss on some blocks reducing the harvest to between 4.5 and 5 tonnes/ha.”
Mr Blackburn said they would look to plant Holt variety peanuts in 2007-08 but were waiting in anticipation for the industry release of the rust resistant variety, Sutherland, which was expected to be available in two years.
David and Phillip Blackburn aim to replant cane in late July following the peanuts with no nitrogen fertiliser required in the first year.
“Our fertiliser costs have doubled in the past 12 months, so the legume rotation is making a sizeable contribution to cutting cane production costs.”
Mr Mulherin said this was a good example of how staff in the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries had been assisting growers in the integrated sustainable farming systems approach initiated five years ago as a part of the DPI&F and BSES and FutureCane project.
“This is certainly a success story from FutureCane which aims to promote an economically and environmentally sustainable farming system, help farmers work out clear direction for their future financially and assist with change.”
Media: 32396530
Department media and requests for photographs: Russ Boadle, Rockhampton: 49360320
PEANUTS PUT SUGAR-COATING ON CANE
Mackay’s Blackburn brothers bit the bullet in the face of declining sugarcane yields six years ago and adopted peanuts as their preferred legume break crop, and would safely say, they have not looked back.
David and Phillip Blackburn’s peanut cropping venture represents a significant capital investment in specialised planting and harvesting machinery plus a peanut cleaner – a cost shared amongst three neighbouring North Eton cane growing families.
David Blackburn conceded that honing their peanut cropping skills was a steep learning curve and although the extremely wet and humid climatic conditions this summer were far from favourable, they were undeterred.
“This season we are anticipating a market return of $1300 to $1500 a hectare of high quality peanuts which will certainly cover costs and deliver a return on our capital investment,” Mr Blackburn said.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said the Blackburns were among the first Mackay region canegrowers to take up the integrated sustainable farming systems challenge as a part of FutureCane to assist them with their venture.
“The Blackburn brothers employed the Controlled Traffic Farming system, modifying all their machinery including the cane harvester and haul out bins,” Mr Mulherin said.
“All their farming operations are now based on the CTF system and in conjunction with GPS guidance has the potential to reduce compaction by up to 45 per cent when compared to the conventional system. There are added benefits of improved fuel efficiency and enhanced water infiltration.
“David and Phillip’s wholesale adoption of CTF is working proof that the system delivers timely operational efficiencies to contribute to increased productivity and profitability.”
The Blackburn brothers farm 243ha and, as part of their established legume break crop to halt falling sugarcane productivity and profitability, they grew 15ha of Menzies variety peanuts this year in dual rows on 1.8m beds.
Mr Blackburn said the peanuts were planted on November 20 and have required no supplementary irrigation.
“We were managing the crop on a stringent 10-day spraying program to keep the rust at bay but incessant wet weather kept our 18m boom spray off the paddock and restricted timely aerial spraying,” he said.
“The peanuts had excellent potential but the rust invasion caused an estimated 30-40 per cent yield loss on some blocks reducing the harvest to between 4.5 and 5 tonnes/ha.”
Mr Blackburn said they would look to plant Holt variety peanuts in 2007-08 but were waiting in anticipation for the industry release of the rust resistant variety, Sutherland, which was expected to be available in two years.
David and Phillip Blackburn aim to replant cane in late July following the peanuts with no nitrogen fertiliser required in the first year.
“Our fertiliser costs have doubled in the past 12 months, so the legume rotation is making a sizeable contribution to cutting cane production costs.”
Mr Mulherin said this was a good example of how staff in the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries had been assisting growers in the integrated sustainable farming systems approach initiated five years ago as a part of the DPI&F and BSES and FutureCane project.
“This is certainly a success story from FutureCane which aims to promote an economically and environmentally sustainable farming system, help farmers work out clear direction for their future financially and assist with change.”
Media: 32396530
Department media and requests for photographs: Russ Boadle, Rockhampton: 49360320