Is the premium worth the risk?

Mr Hutchinson farms as part of a family operation with parents David and Verlie and brothers Brian and Christopher over two properties near Moura, with 1000 hectares of flood irrigation developed as well as dryland land. 

He said they have 700ha of chickpeas in this year, with 100ha under irrigation and 600ha of dryland. 

“We’ve grown chickpeas back to back for a number of years and haven’t had any disease problems,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“Last year we didn’t spray any fungicides or anything like that and were still harvesting good yields.

“I think yes, it is a concern with ascochyta.

“But it’s a risk worth taking when the prices are where they are.”

The Hutchinson family has planted PBA Seamer and HatTrick this year.

Mr Hutchinson said the decision to plant 50 per cent Seamer was a “punt”. 

The crop was planted into some moisture, but less than would be desirable after a dry summer. 

Macander has been dry for 12 months, and the family broke its trend of double cropping dryland crops over the past three years when it was unable to plant a summer or spring crop due to the lack of moisture. 

“If it stays dry you wouldn’t get a crop off wheat whereas you might have with chickpea, so it’s a no-brainer for us,” Mr Hutchinson said. 

The chickpeas were planted in mid-May on the promise of rain, which never came. 

“They’re running out of moisture, it’s marginal,” he said.

“Most of it came up well but some didn’t come up too well.”

Mr Hutchinson said he is still waiting on the forecast rain – with the chickpeas yet to receive a drop. 

He said the crop “could really do with an inch or two”.