Hay Report - Still hope for the new season

For the fortnight up to the 11th of June 2025.

By Dwain Duxson 

Some Farmers in the parched South of the country were lucky enough to get a drop of rain last weekend. It varied quite a bit, and I won't get into detail, but there were winners and losers.

There is great importance and anticipation around how the new Hay season is going to play out. Arguably, the Cropping zones of SA, Victoria and Southern NSW produce the best Hay in Australia. WA will feel crucified at not being included, and they should be from a quality perspective, but it's a completely different cat when it comes to logistics. It's a domestic market, within a domestic market, if that makes sense.

One rain doesn't make a season, but if you were lucky enough to get enough, then it's a start; you can push go. Now we can only hope for a repeat of 2015 (I think, please correct me if wrong), where we had a June break, and the season turned out pretty good. 

The ones that can push the go button can spend a little time crystalballing as to where they need to best spend their energy and where they can claw back some of the losses they might have accumulated from 2024 and the first half of 2025. Hay will be in that conversation.

The good thing about making Hay or Silage is that the turnaround time can be a month or two quicker than Grain, in that you can be cut, baled, stacked and sold before you even think about that last-minute service to the Header. Hay might allow you to cut down on some Spraying costs as well, and a good-yielding Hay Crop of Hay is right up there in returns per hectare. 

Let's keep the schooner half full here and say there is a Hay season of sorts. We think there will be enough demand to mean it's well and truly doing, and maybe prices might not be what they are today, but you would think they would still be pretty good come October.

Back in a fortnight.

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What's happened to Hay prices over the last fortnight?

Prices rose again in the last fortnight 

Vetch is in the bracket of $500 and $540 a tonne.

Cereal Hay ranges from $450 to $550 a tonne. Prices are in line with what the Weekly Times is reporting. See below

Lucerne Hay ranges from $400 to $505 a tonne.

Clover & Rye Hay is selling anywhere from $400 to $450 a tonne.

Straw is making anywhere from $200 a tonne to $200 a bale.

We go around the grounds to see what our Farm Tender Salespeople have to say:

Paul Grayling - Mallee, Vic based

Paul said - The last fortnight has seen supply continue to dry up, but demand is still very strong. I have spoken to a few growers who have some Hay to list over the next few weeks, so I believe we will continue to see small parcels being added sporadically, as we have seen recently. These will be highly sought after and will require some prompt action to secure what you need. Happy Hunting.

Shane Ruyg - Qld based

Shane said - Great to hear of all the rain that has fallen across VIC/SA and NSW and let's hope that we see some follow-up in the following weeks and months. What has it done to the Hay Job? Not much at this stage as we are still seeing lots of enquiries and sales with the majority still requiring feed for the winter months, but what it does do is restore some confidence and spark up the positivity in the job with some areas banking 3 figure totals, and it should hold them in good stead to grow some feed/fodder in the spring.

Mike Pickard - On the road

Mike said - The small amounts of Hay are still coming onto the website, and it is not lasting very long at all. There are still reasonable amounts of Hay in northern New South Wales and in Queensland, but freight is the biggest issue, and the cost of getting hay south is pricey. I have been getting a few requests as to what Hay is worth; the big answer is not sure, as it's almost changing daily depending on supply and quality. Also, just want to reiterate that the Hay that is still available is possibly there for a reason. I encourage an inspection before purchasing.

Jim Oehms - Northern Country, Vic based

Jim said - Well, a lot of us have had some rain from this last weekend, including Vic/NSW and SA, with some good totals in places from what I have heard, and it has been very much welcomed indeed. Most that I have spoken to have said that a few follow-up rains would put the icing on the cake. The Hay job is still quite busy, and people are enquiring about several lots of Hay and Straw. The heavy inquiry means it is usually the first in is best dressed. Hay prices are also seeing a bit of an increase, and this includes all hay and straw varieties. We are still seeing Hay coming from northern NSW and South Qld down to Vic and S.A as the distance was once the major factor when purchasing Hay/Straw, but at the moment, it seems feasible at the moment. I would like to finish by saying that a feed test is always best if selling your Hay, and if you are buying, try to inspect it first.

End of message.

For more information on selling or buying Hay contact the following:

Paul Grayling – 0447 069 082 or paulg@farmtender.com.au

Shane Ruyg – 0447 922 604 or shaner@farmtender.com.au

Mike Pickard – 0429 677 636 or mikep@farmtender.com.au

Jim Oehms -- 0481 102 288 or jimo@farmtender.com.au

Or 1300 Farming (1300 327 646)

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To watch a video on how it works or to buy Load Looper go to the website here.

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