Buyers exercise caution with hay selections

TRADERS were being selective in their purchases with a glut of lower quality hay on the market after last October’s floods in multiple states.

ThriveAgri Hay Australia’s national grower and quality assurance manager Geoff Walker said: “Traders are buying the best of the worst.”

“As a result, the price is fairly strong for low grade hay.”

Mr Walker said supplies continued to roll into the company’s Bridgewater plant with average tonne prices of more than $200 up more than $60 on the same time last year.

“We’re still moving produce and topping up with vetch and barley straw,” Mr Walker said.

“For people who rely on hay, commodity prices are still good.”

He said export demand was strong for quality hay that was coming out of Western Australia.

Weather in the final months of 2022 had damaged crops in Victoria and South Australia with little hay cut in New South Wales.

There had also been a change of focus for some farmers following trade issues with China.

“Some have jumped off hay and taken to a cereal crop pro- gram,” Mr Walker said. “However, the future for hay still looks bright not only for export but also domestic wise.”

AgTrade’s livestock nutrition division, ThriveAgri, last year expanded its operations with the acquisition of Western Australia and Victoria-based fodder business Hay Australia.

With an estimated 10 per cent of Australia’s 1.35 million tonnes of hay exports last year, Hay Australia sources high quality fodder from producers to pro-