First Season Riverina Cotton Success

The Dalbroi family from ‘Warrawidgee West’ near Griffith are close to harvesting their first cotton crop.

Father and son team, Tony and Gavin Dalbroi and their families, planted 80 hectares of Sicot 43BR cotton in early October 2007 and anticipate they will plant more next spring.

Previously a rice farm, Warrawidgee West now grows many different crops including cotton, sorghum and corn. They rely on underground water and were helped by good summer rainfall which produced some exceptional summer crop yields.

Gavin Dalbroi said sorghum produced around 10 tonnes per hectare, with corn exceeding 13 tonnes per hectare.

The lead-up to the cotton-picking season has been a nervous wait, although recent rain has not caused major problems.

Craig McDonald, Cotton Seed Distributor’s Extension and Development agronomist who covers the Riverina, said Gavin and Tony hosted and attended a number of industry field days during the summer and did their homework on cotton.

They grew Sicot 43 Bollgard II® Roundup Ready® cotton, bred by the CSIRO, which is an excellent choice for that region Craig McDonald said.

Gavin said he was impressed by the information and help they have received throughout the season, describing the cotton industry as “open and eager to help new growers”.

He was also impressed by the family’s ability to take advantage of the cotton marketing system of selling forward a portion of the crop to take advantage of higher price ‘spikes’.

Gavin and Tony have installed a ‘bankless channel’ irrigation system; have applied both cow and poultry manure; and utilised the services of a professional cotton consultant to help make their first cotton crop a success. On confirmation of the price, yield and quality potential of this year’s crop, Gavin and Tony plan to include cotton in their future cropping programs.