growers@sgcotton.com.au Roger Tomkins - Greenmount Press

companies, the reality was that the energy sector was negatively
impacting on the community.
Fairfax Agricultural Media Canberra Bureau Chief Colin Bettles
told the session that his visit to the Powder River Resource Basin
in Wyoming earlier this year had highlighted an ambivalent
attitude to the energy industry by landholders.
He said many had made a lot of money, but there had also
been a major environmental and production cost paid, primarily
due to the inadequate management of the salty waste water.
Colin said if there was a lesson to be learnt for Australia it was
the need to manage the waste water, and not to just rush into
development.
Andrew agreed. “If the answer is anything like what has
happened in the Powder River Basin, then you would be crazy to
go there,” he said.
Forward contract forum
sparks debate
The Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) proposal
to adjust the base grade from the existing middling to the higher
quality strict middling, attracted plenty of interest and discussion
at the Australian Cotton Conference.
Speaking at the Forum, Gordon Cherry (Louis Dreyfus
Commodities and ACSA member) noted that 60 to 70 per cent
of the Australian cotton crop was forward sold up to three years
ahead of the crop planting and of those forward sales, 90 per
cent were for the strict middling quality.
“Currently the higher quality strict middling cotton is priced
too closely to the current base grade middling cotton and so the
strict middling quality cotton is subsidising the middling,” he said.
“Or in other words, the linkage between the two means that
the middling is limiting the potential for the strict middling quality
to achieve a higher premium.”
Gordon cited research which has found that Australian
growers have consistently produced higher amounts of the
strict middling quality cotton. More than double the amount of
middling over the past 10 years.
Growers at the forum expressed concerns regarding the ability
of the Australian cotton industry to supply the higher grades of
cotton on a consistent basis.
Gus McClymont, Neek Morawitz and Tracey Leevan at the
Cotton Conference.
Andrew Parkes of Moree queried if, due to dry years and
perfect growing conditions, the industry had created an
unrealistic expectation by the export markets of the quantity of
higher level cotton that could be produced.
“Environment plays the largest part in the quality and colour
of the cotton crop,” he stated.
“Weather and especially rain can play havoc with an existing
premium crop; factors which we the growers have no control
over,” Andrew said.
“Generally, growers can be assured of returning a middling
quality crop so why is this current base grade not the focus of our
marketing and selling efforts?”
The desire of China, Australia’s key importer of cotton, to
purchase only the higher grade of cotton from Australia was
cited as the answer.
Gordon said, quoting a Chinese buyer:
“I buy from Australia for the higher quality strict middling
quality cotton. If I wanted the lesser quality middling I would look
to the less expensive markets of Brazil, the US and India.”
Hendra Ho, a cotton buyer with Coorom based in Sydney,
attended the forum and agreed that it was a difficult situation for
the growers, marketers and buyers.
“It is always a problem when the quality that has been
purchased cannot be delivered,” he said.
“Our milling clients in Asia specifically want the higher grades
of cotton, and have limited use for the lower graded middling.”
Sex sells
Just like for the opening address, the auditorium at the
Conference was packed as delegates gathered to hear Dr Rosie
King, sex therapist speaking on Managing Intimate Relationships.
In line with the agricultural theme, Rosie focused her amusing
presentation on pollinating, suggesting that “sex is good for
you.” A statement that brought applause from the audience!
Rosie provided conference attendees with several pearls of
wisdom for increased well-being, stress release and longevity.
Her first key message was for everyone to get their Vitamin T,
a minimum of a seven second hug every day for well-being.
Her second message was to ensure everyone gets skin on skin
time from your partner, a massage or even a pet.
Ironing is foreplay was a message applauded by the women in
the audience and ‘The more you smoke, the less you poke’ was
greeted by nervous laughter by some in the audience.
The second keynote speaker of the session was Todd
Sampson, CEO of Leo Burnett and break-out star of ABC’s The
Gruen Transfer.
Todd had all enthralled with his message of creativity, courage
and overcoming fear. All appreciated his message that the most
spectacular leaders are not braver than the average person – they
are just braver for five minutes more.
Todd used his experiences as an instigator of ‘Earth Hour’,
an initiative that commenced in Sydney and is now a global
phenomenon in which 135 countries and one billion people
participate.
Todd recalled his meeting with Sir Edmund Hillary after
simply looking up his phone number in the white pages, and his
subsequent second meeting with the renowned mountaineer at
the Mount Everest base camp.
Sensing some anxiety in Todd as he prepared for his unassisted
Everest climb, Sir Edmund inspired him with “Todd, don’t be
afraid,” a message that Todd passed on to conference attendees.
16 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012