04.12.2015 p.14

14 LIFESTYLE FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 2015

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From the editor’s deskTHERE’S a fair bit of negative sentiment in the rural community at the moment.

The past month has seen thecreep of drought extend to Queensland’s eastern coastline, with the Burdekin, Townsville and parts of Whitsunday region among seven new areas added to the drought list.

More than 86 per cent of thestate is now drought-declared and water resources are depleting. Even the mighty Burdekin Falls Dam has dipped to 47 per cent – the lowest level in more than 20 years – while Townsville’s Ross Dam is at 27 per cent.

The strong El Niño pattern gripping Queensland makes a decent wet season unlikely, so producers have no choice but to dig in for a bit longer. I hope they can.

The latest Rabobank rural confidence survey, released this week, confirms what we hear on the ground: more than 40 per cent of North Queensland farmers are pessimistic about the year ahead, mainly because of high input costs and drought.

But as always in times of gloom, there’s a bright light. This month that bright light has come in the form of Ingham’s Daniel Melvin who, at 19, is probably the sugar industry’s youngest harvesting contractor. His story is in this edition.

Thanks to all of our readersand advertisers for supporting Rural Insight in its first year of publication. This is our last liftout for the year. The first liftout for 2016 will be published in the first week of March.

leanne.oliveri@news.com.au

LEANNEOLIVERI

SUGAR and spice? Try sugarand rice.

Local farmer Rob Stockhamis one of many Burdekin canegrowers who recently turnedto rice as a fallow crop in a bidto boost his cash flow, and he ishappy he did.

He harvested his first cropat Giru on Wednesday, withabout 100 local farmers andsuppliers looking on as part ofa field trip organised throughthe SunRice field day.

Mr Stockham said he wasdrawn into rice growing be-cause it represented such agood cash crop and because itcould be processed locally atSunRice’s Brandon mill.

“The returns on cane arejust not here anymore,” hesaid. “I started with rice thisyear and am about to plant mysecond crop.

“I’ve got 17,000 acres of landhere, and about 600 acres we’llnow be cropping beans, withabout 200 acres of that beingrice. If I had more water thenwe’d definitely be doing morerice.”

Mr Stockham said price cer-tainty was a major reason forentering the rice market, add-ing that the price he would re-ceive for his rice was morestable than current worldsugar prices.

“At least with rice, beforewe go to plant we know whatthe price is going to be, andthen we go from there.” The

other drawcard of rice was itsshort growing cycle.

“If you plant cane in Marchand then you get through tonow, and all of a sudden you’vegot no water, then you’ve got acrop sitting there and what areyou going to do?

“At least with the rice it’sonly 140 days and you’ve gotyour money at the end … withcane you’ve got to wait at least18 months before you get somemoney out of it.

“We’ll still be growing canebut the rice provides us with agood cash flow right now.”

Mr Stockham believes Sun-Rice’s announcement of a newNorth Queensland t range andexpansion plans for the Bran-don Mill will get more localcane growers to grow rice.

“Not everybody is going togrow rice; not all paddocks aresuitable,” he said.

“But so far, it’s working forus. We won’t be stopping anytime soon.”

Sugar and rice a nice mixture Bernice Kelly

At least with therice it’s only 140 days and you’ve got your money at the end

Rob Stockham

SunRice's Mike Hedditch, Tom Howard and John Bradford with local rice grower Rob StockhamPicture: BERNICE KELLY

SunRice product development manager Kari Cook Local rice growers Matt and Rob Stockham

To comment on this story:news@burdekinadvocate.com.aufacebook.com/BurdekinAdvocatetwitter.com/BurdekinAdvocTXT the editor: 0416 907 499

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