ADVERTISER CONTENT
SUDDEN withdrawal of the selective herbicide Totril last year was a major blow to Australia's onion industry, so the news of it now being back on the shelves is a great relief to growers.
Onions are Australia's fourth-largest vegetable crop, with around 300 growers across the major growing regions of Adelaide Plains, SA (42 per cent); northern Tasmania (29pc); Lockyer Valley, Queensland (11pc); Victoria (8pc); and in NSW and WA (each 5pc).
Australian onion growers have relied on Totril for many years to control broadleaf weeds in young onion crops.
Bayer's early 2018 announcement that it was ceasing supply of Totril globally caught the onion industry by surprise, leaving them with a looming disaster described by Onions Australia as "the biggest issue to hit the onion industry in recent years".
RELATED READING
The industry was left scrambling for short-term emergency solutions while an effective alternative herbicide was found, developed and approved - which can take years under Australia's stringent APVMA regulations.
Behind the scenes, Australian company Barmac negotiated with Bayer to buy the brand and formulation.
Having access to the modern Accensis manufacturing facilities at Lara, Victoria enabled Barmac to quickly return Totril to the Australian market by October 2019.
With more than 70 years' experience supplying specialty fertiliser and crop-protection products for smaller, niche areas of agriculture, horticulture and turf, Barmac is continually on the lookout in Australia and overseas for products to fill these specialty markets.
Barmac business manager, Chris Ramsey, said picking up Totril - an older trusted brand in the horticulture market - was a good example of what the company aims to do, ensuring continued supply of this key product to Australia's onion growers.
"Totril controls a wide range of broadleaf weeds in onion crops from the two-leaf stage onwards," Mr Ramsey said.
"It's a crucial product for these growers, but too small a market for larger companies. That's our business forte.
"Onion growers have confidence in the Totril brand and original formulation, with the added advantage that it's now being manufactured here in Australia and available in 10 L containers."
He said Totril selective herbicide (250g/L ioxynil) could be applied to onion crops between the three and eight-leaf stage, targeting a wide range of broadleaf weeds from cotyledon to six-leaf stage.
"Most weeds will be more susceptible at the young-plant stage, with a higher rate required on more mature weeds," he said.
"So Totril should be used after standard pre-emergence herbicide treatment or cultivation - otherwise weeds are likely to be too large for successful treatment by the time the onion crop has reached the tolerant stage."
The importance of Totril to onion growers was encapsulated in the description from Onions Australia that the sudden withdrawal of Totril was "one of the most difficult and time-consuming issues confronted in some time".
The industry "staggered" through 2018/19 with a range of stop-gap measures until Totril came back on the market late this year.
Onions Australia chairman and northern Victorian grower, Pete Shadbolt, Scotties Point Farms said it was a huge relief that Barmac was able to supply the industry with Totril relatively quickly, saving onion growers from a lot of pain and worry.
- Copy supplied by Barmac.