Winter crop production is set to hit a new national high of 58.4 million tonnes in 2021-22, with record amounts of wheat and canola to be delivered.
And this will bring with it strong investment back into farming businesses, according to Case IH dealer O’Connors group sales development manager Tom Sheridan.
“It is so exciting to see farmers truly in a strong position to take on challenges in 2022 coming off the back of a very buoyant 12 to 18 months,” he said.
One of these challenges would be continued delays in the machinery supply chain, which had been seen throughout 2021 and would likely remain for the “foreseeable future”, Mr Sheridan said.
“Delays are evident everywhere throughout the supply chain, from sourcing components of field machinery, to factories shutting down as COVID-19 exposure sites, through to the excessive demand that is in shipping at the moment,” he said.
“Already we are seeing from many suppliers in the market that problems in 2021 will still be present in 2022.
“O’Connors has worked hard to do what we can to put our customers in a good position.
“We’ve ordered some stock early and are hopeful that our customers won’t be let down too much — what should take two to three months is taking six to eight months. There is nothing easy about getting gear in at the moment.”
According to the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia, supply of product is now a worldwide problem and while Australian tractor sales for 2021 were tracking at 28 per cent higher year-on-year up until November 2022, supply will be “heavily impacted by dealers’ ability to get stock”.
“With what looks like most of our regions coming off a very strong grain year, there will be some tax planning to take place, and we want to start having those conversations now,” Mr Sheridan said.
“And we are starting to see our organised clients having conversations regarding June 30 now because of stock shortage.”
Mr Sheridan said now was the time to be talking to your machinery sales representative.
“If you are not getting your machinery requirements organised now, you may miss out,” he said.