Truck drivers are gearing up for what’s hoped to be the region’s first back-to-back bumper harvest in years.

“I’m living the dream,” said transport owner-operator Allan Anderson who has been driving trucks for half a century.

Recently, Mr Anderson has been working “flat out” with farmers, loading up last year’s remaining wheat from bunkers and silos so on-farm storages are cleared and ready for grain when harvest is planned to kick off in late October/start of November.

“We’ve been emptying storages and bunkers, carting from as far out as Walgett into Narrabri, from Spring Plains and Come-By-Chance too,” said Mr Anderson.

The veteran truckie has a long and proud history as part of the Narrabri region’s vital transport industry, he played a key role in organising the inaugural Narrabri truck show in 2019 and has witnessed floods, droughts and good times on the land.

“I came to Narrabri 51 years ago from Moree when I was 18 and I’ve been married to my wife Marion for 49 years,” said Mr Anderson.

“When I was a kid at school, I always said, ‘I want my own trucks’.

“I wanted to be a mechanic and I wanted my own trucks, and now I’ve got them and achieved that.

“They take a bit of hanging on to, but we’re still here.

“We’ve got a heap of good customers, good people and good farmers around us.

“It’s like farming – seven days and seven nights a week.

“Farmers take the good with the bad, and you keep walking towards the trouble.”

Fortunately, a recent report by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resources Economics and Sciences forecasts farmers might finally be out of trouble and heading towards a record-breaking year, with the gross value of production predicted to reach $73 billion in 2021-22.

ABARES executive director Dr Jared Greenville said if the predictions in the Agricultural Commodities: September Quarter report prove to be accurate, it would be the first time the agricultural sector has been valued at over $70 billion.

“The forecast for next year is due to a combination of factors, all tumbling neatly into place,” Dr Greenville said.

“The value of crop production is set to rise by seven per cent to $39.5 billion because of another near-record winter crop harvest, combined with strong global prices for grain, sugar and cotton.

“While there are risks related to mice, labour availability and continued uncertainties due to COVID-19, we are expecting national production to remain robust.

“The value of livestock production is also tipped to rise to $33.5 billion, an increase of 8 per cent.

“We’ve had a solid cropping year across the wheat-sheep belt, so we’re looking at another robust harvest.

“The international market is also tipped in our favour, as poor harvests in North America and Europe are pushing up the price of grain.

“Strong domestic production and a favourable global market are set to see exports also hit a record of close to $55 billion in 2021-22.

“The biggest contribution to growth in exports will be crops, which are set to rise by 17 per cent to $30 billion.

“A good year means optimism at the saleyards, and many of our farmers are enjoying their second good year in a row.

“This has translated to record prices for young cattle as farmers look to restock. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end,” warned Dr Jared Greenville.

“Australian farmers operate in one of the world’s most variable climates so we cannot expect the good seasons to keep coming. The same can be said for high world prices. That said, the last two years have placed our farmers in a good position to take on any challenges ahead.”

For now, people in the local ag game are remaining positive, enjoying favourable forecasts for a change and quite literally making hay while the sun shines.

“This will be the second season, let’s see if we can get three in a row – that’d be good,” said truck driver Allan Anderson.

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