A remarkable year

The 2011–12 season is set to exceed the previous season’s record of four million bales with industry forecasting production will surpass five million bales.

Whilst prices dropped from record levels in the prior season the harvest is still expected to contribute over $2.7 billion in export earnings before considering

the flow on benefits to rural, regional, state and national economies.

This achievement reflects the commitment and capability of the people in the industry, as 2011–12 was another challenging season of climate impacts and

production levels that exposed the constraints of industry infrastructure.

The season saw another series of disastrous flood events across cotton producing regions in NSW and south western Queensland. This season’s crop

losses may well have exceeded 600,000 bales, which was the total annual crop production only four years ago during the worst of the drought. The industry

ginning, classing and shipment infrastructure is designed to nominally handle an annual production of up to three million bales. It has been stretched to new

levels of operation that have depended upon understanding of growers, the ingenuity and resilience of the industry personnel involved.

The capacity of the industry’s Development & Delivery team to meet the R&D information needs of new growers was again tested. The support of

industry researchers, agribusiness, commercial crop consultants and natural resource management groups for targeted extension campaigns continued to be

of great importance. Post-flood advice to growers and consultants on how to manage flood-affected crops was aided by the experiences of the prior year’s

flooding and research initiated in central Queensland to assess the response of flood-affected cotton crops to various management techniques.

Beyond the immediacy of R&D information needs the CRDC continued to invest in the development and communication of contemporary market and

product knowledge. This work is assisting the industry to strengthen its current competitive advantages, consider the future sustainability of that position and

the potential for new approaches to maximising the value for Australian cotton. At the farm level R&D successfully supported ongoing productivity growth

and protection against biosecurity threats. Of particular note was the summation of the impact of industry water research and the commencement of a third

assessment of industry environmental performance. CRDC’s strategic investment in human capacity effectively assisted the development of individuals

throughout the industry and research community. Importantly CRDC was able to support the industry to consider workforce challenges and solutions

collectively.

During 2011–12, the industry was advised that the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC would cease at 30 June 2012. CRDC has been a major partner

within three consecutive Cotton CRCs that commenced in 1993. The cessation of the Cotton CRC will be a substantive change to the industry’s RD&E

collaborative arrangements and resourcing. That this change should occur during a remarkable upturn in cotton production is opportune, as CRDC’s

capacity for funding R&D is once again strong and the key industry and research organisations collectively commenced implementing the Cotton Sector

R,D&E Plan that will guide the future direction and foster collaboration in research.