Expert Advice

Independent expert advice is the focus of our business. We will be bringing you a range of management and technical information and advice to help with your budgeting, planning, cultivar selection, through to pre and post-plant management.

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Seed Market Update

August 2002

A difficult year climatically for the 2001/02 season has seen a considerable drop in quantity and quality of seed produced in New Zealand to reach the marketplace this year. This will have an obvious follow-on affect into our next planting season - for both spring and autumn of 2003.

It will be a season to plan early and secure your seed requirements with us soon so that you can reap the benefits from your pastoral and cropping programmes.

Seed availability:

Ryegrasses

Perennial ryegrasses - generally limited availability with the following lines unavailable until the following harvest; including matrix; Horizon; Tolsa, Embassy, Aries Quartet.

Short rotation ryegrasses - being very limited, but we have some limited stocks of Geyser, Galaxy, Flanker Tabu and Marbella. Definitely first-in first-served basis.

Itialian Ryegrasses - virtually sold-out until harvest, but again, we have limited stocks of Moata, Archie, Tama and uncertified Italian.

Brassicas

Generally stocks are OK, although some well known preferred cultivars will be limited or not available, e.g., Barabas Turnips.

We have secured the last of the Barabas Turnip stocks which has now been withdrawn off the market due to crop production failure, therefore be quick if you prefer this variety.

The alternative Turnip options which are becoming well proven are Macro soft white turnips and Dynamo stubble turnip.

Good stocks of Kale options with the preferred cultivars such as Colear, Kapeti, Sovereign and Keeper in high demand.

Rapes such as Leafmore, Winfred, Delta, and Hunter (a replacement for Pasja, being in high demand also.

Don't forget we have a range of Brassica seed treatments available including Topcrop - fungicide and insect treatment containing micro-nutrients for initial control of damping off disease and springtail. Topcrop plus Guacho - for damping off diseases and insect control. Guacho - insecticide treatment only.

Clovers

A huge pressure on clover seed available and this will impact on us for the next autumn season also with stocks reliant on 2003 harvest success in March/April. Therefore, talk to us about your requirements, as alternatives may have to be discussed.

Some companies such as Cropmark have imported clover seed, such as Rarouk White Clover to provide you with suitable alternative options.

Pasture Grasses, Herbs and Lucernes

Cocksfoots, plantains, Timothy, Fescue, Prarie grass and grazing Broomes; we have all the preferred cultivars in stock at present.
Lucernes, plantians and chicory - we have good supply of options to select from.

Cereal Seed Grain

Again yield and quality has been affected ex harvest, high demand for preferred cultivars, so please order early. We will also have contracts for feed grain such as maize, wheat and barley available soon.

We are expecting strong prices and due to devastating droughts in both Australia and Canada, cereal silage cultivars are also showing high demand this season. - particularly barley cultivars such as Cask and Omaka, wheat cultivar Saphire, and Triticale cultivars such as Doubletake. There will be a new release Triticale from Peter Cates Ltd called Bullion.

We have a wealth of experience to assist with all aspects of your cropping needs both technically and practically, so contact us to discuss your individual requirements.