Commodity Conversations

Swings in wool supply have a large impact on price, and any price premiums, but the market is also balancing a number of demand influencing factors from overseas. This week resident wool analyst, Andrew Woods from Independent Commodity Services joins Robert Herrmann to discuss these price drivers. The supply chain also has some big questions about wool quality schemes and supply, which we shed som...

As the state borders open up, we knew there would be one person to count on to see what’s happening in the saleyards and paddocks from south to north, east to west. In a red hot market, this week Andrew Hosken, from Hosken Stock and Land, joined us to discuss how producers have been able to take advantage of the extraordinary prices of late across the cattle market. 

This week Nutrien Ag Solutions Livestock Manager, Ron Rutledge, gives us the low down on what's happening in local lamb and sheep markets, as the '8 million residents' are 'released' in Melbourne and Sydney and the restaurant trade returns, will supply meet demand?

This week our resident analyst Nick Booth from Next Level Grain Marketing on to fill us in on what's happening in his local patch, the Eyre Peninsular, but also what's happening in the international grains markets. As Australia looks set for another record/near record wheat crop and is still relatively cheap internationally, they're should be no shortage of demand in the foreseeable future. 

This week we got the chance to chat with current Director of Studies and soon to be Principal of Marcus Oldham College (2022), Andrew Baker. We asked Andrew how the current demand is in the Agricultural sector for new Ag graduates and what skillsets are employee's looking for in new graduates and where the varied fields they can end up working in.

The recovery in apparel fibres over the past year looks to be a solid one and this week Andrew Woods, Mecardo analyst and Director of Independent Commodity Services, joins us to talk about what this all means for wool. We also break down the wool complex to discuss what is driving prices for fine, superfine, medium Merino and crossbred wool.

Soaking spring rain has moved from the outlook to the paddock in areas, and with the weather warming up, feed is going to be abundant. It’s that time of year when NSW Merino wether lambs start to hit the market, and so it’s time Mecardo analyst Angus Brown joins us to share how the trade is shaping up this year and to discuss the underlying lamb demand outlook.

In Australia we are coming into the critical finishing period of many crops so this week we were lucky to be joined by Eric Snodgrass, Principal Atmospheric Scientist at Nutrien, to find out what the weather outlook is for the west and east of Australia, whether there is much risk of frosts and how weather events around the globe are influencing our markets.

Agriculture is built on relationships, and for our 150th episode we’re joined by one of Mecardo’s longest partners – Kurra Wirra stud. Anthony Close is the 3rd generation of farm management at Kurra Wirra and shares how they've responded to market changes, found new opportunities, and adopted new tools, innovations and data into their business.

This week on Commodity Conversations we have Adrian Ladaniwskyj and Robert Herrmann on from Mecardo to discuss the big news coming out of Brazil this week as well as take a closer look into our local sheep and cattle markets and how they are performing.

There’s a long road ahead to a $100bn agriculture sector and expanding acreage isn’t going to get us there. Michael Whitehead, head of agribusiness insights at ANZ, has been researching these trends and joins us today to chat about how we will get closer to the target, what this might look like at a farm level and some of the long term trends and adaptions in cotton and sugar sectors.

This week on Commodity Conversations we had Ken Miall, Livestock Manager from Nutrien Wagga Wagga on to tell us about what is possibly an Australian, if not worldwide first in cattle sales. For the first time, that we know of,  PTIC’s were sold, with knowledge of the sex of their foetus/s, via the AuctionsPlus online market place.  Join us to hear how this came about and what the results were, wit...

This week Rob had a chat with Mark Symes, Southern wool manager at G.Schneider Australia, about how the wool markets have fared post the recent 3 week recess. Mark also shares some insights into the inspiration behind the  "Wool Connect" community initiative, which the Schneider Group started last year, and what to expect at this years upcoming online conference scheduled for September 7th -9th.  

Online livestock auctions have seen incredible growth and this week we welcomed Tim McRae, Chief Economist at AuctionsPlus, back to Commodity Conversations to talk through the underlying trends. Rob & Tim cover what drove the lift in volumes online, ewe throughput and breed trends and the flow of stock between regions. 

With a season of extremely low cattle slaughter and exports, the door has been opened for other exporters to move in on Australia's market share. South America is one of the competitors we are keeping a close eye on and this week Álvaro Pereira from the National Meat Institute (INAC) in Uruguay shares his insights into developments in Uruguayan beef production and markets.  

With a new season lamb supply not far on the horizon, we had Will Barton from Gundagai Meat Processors on to talk us through some of the challenges and opportunities in the months to come. We also got a unique insight into some of the innovative technologies they are incorporating into their day to day operations.

Heard of 'nudie' sheep before? This week we have John Keiller from Cashmore Park on to Chat with Rob Herrmann about some of the history of Cashmore Park and the interesting breeding programs they have implemented there. John discusses some of the challenges and opportunities unique to their environment and how they have adapted.   

With plenty of rain continuing to soak most of the country and more to come on the horizon, will the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator nudge over the 1000 cent mark? This week we have the full team, Adrian Ladaniwskyj, Robert Herrmann and Olivia Agar, to discuss the EYCI's continued rise upward, droughts in Canada and what it means for Australian grain growers and finally a look at how far the wool m...

Market recap with Olivia Agar and Adrian Ladaniwskj from Mecardo. This week the team discuss what’s driving the cattle market on its continued record-breaking streak and what the outlook is for the near-term future for cattle and commodities in general in Australia. Sheep prices have continued to do well also so the team looks a bit closer behind the numbers there with a brief finish up look at th...

Queensland's pastoral grazing zone is the backdrop to this weeks episode, where we're joined by Gordon Begg from Westfield Station near Longreach. Robert Herrmann caught up with Gordon to chat about their operation, the country and some of the challenges of running cattle, sheep and goats on their land.

Corn, soybeans, canola and wheat are under the spotlight this week as the world watches the weather and crop conditions in the northern hemisphere. Hear more about what’s happening in that region and the rest of the world with our resident Grain analyst, Nick Booth, and Mecardo’s Olivia Agar.

The newly announced Free Trade Agreement between the UK and Australia is nothing but good news for Australian farmers, and for those that like a nice UK scotch. With a lot of hype surrounding the new deal, we’re joined this week by David Cornish, Director of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham Ag College, to chat about what the likely impact is for our trade and markets.

More records broken - 11th June 2021 On Commodity Conversations you'll hear about what records have been broken again - it feels like we have been saying this a lot at Mecardo, but agricultural commodities keep going from strength to strength at the moment, in the middle of a world wide pandemic which is hard to believe. This week we have the full team from Mecardo giving you a breakdown of key mo...

This week on Mecardo we travel to South America to hear from Director of Delta Agri Consultants, Uruguay, Roberto Cardellino, on the cattle situation in Argentina, after their government's recent 30 day beef export ban was implemented. Roberto chat's with our Roberto, Mecardo's Managing Director, Robert Herrmann, to help understand the possible reasons for and impacts of the ban, as well as give a...

How confident are livestock producers in their financial future? This is one of the questions asked by AuctionsPlus in a survey on the challenges and opportunities faced by producers in Australia. This week Tim Mcrae, Chief economist at AuctionsPlus, joined Olivia Agar to chat about what they learnt from the research.