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Cotton was trialled commercially in the Ord River Irrigation Area in the Kimberley region of Western Australia between 1964 and 1974. This was enabled by subsidies from the Western Australian Government.

The industry failed due to an inability to control major insect pests, and problems with quality. The industry never achieved economic yields and short fibre length and discolouration resulted in substantial discounts. The crop was grown over the wet season in line with an eastern Australian cropping calendar. The industry was totally reliant on chemical insecticides for pest control. The crop was harvested over an extended period with weather damage common.

Cotton is still an available cropping option for the Ord River Irrigation Area. A cotton production system based on genetically modified varieties has been developed for the ORIA, based on intensive local research which started in 1996.

Production guidelines include:

The crop needs to be grown during the dry season to avoid pink bollworm and cluster caterpillar. Early planting is essential to ensure good early season growth and harvest before lint quality is affected by wet season rain. The planting window is five weeks between 1 March and 1 May, with maturity taking about 180 days for most varieties.

Difficulties to be overcome:

The small Kununurra gin has limited capacity and ginning costs are high. Major investment in ginning and harvesting infrastructure is required to service a viable cotton industry. Cotton is seen as a base field crop that will need a minimum area to achieve viability. This is believed to be at least 5,000 hectares. Partnerships with ginners and marketers are essential for a future cotton industry. Input and freight costs are relatively high. Maximum achievable yields are about 80% of those possible in eastern Australia due to lower radiation received in the dry season.

Why not grow cotton in areas where there is plenty of water? Lake Kununurra (above) on the Ord River at Kununurra is fed year round from the huge Lake Argyle Dam (at right) upstream to irrigate the fertile river floodplains.

Cotton growing calendar in Queensland and New South Wales

August - September, soil preparation takes place.

October, planting takes place when soil temperatures exceed 15°c. Irrigation is applied either before or after planting, depending on the season. Residual herbicides are applied at planting.

November, weed and insect control. Crops start to set squares (buds).

December, weed and insect control. The cotton squares begin to turn to flowers. Irrigation may commence, and crops be fertilised.

January, peak flowering and the cotton bolls start to develop. Irrigation timing, foliar fertilisers and growth regulator applications are vital.

February, the final irrigation is crucial to allow the crop to fully mature.

March, when about 60% of the cotton bolls are open (white, fluffy cotton), defoliants are applied to get rid of the leaves and reduce any contamination at harvest. Picking starts in some areas.

April, picking is usually in full swing and so are the cotton gins. Picking needs to be done before there is any rain, or the quality of the cotton lint is reduced.

May to August, following picking, the cotton stalks are slashed. Minimal cultivation is preferred to prevent survival of heliothis caterpillar pupae. A winter crop may be grown during this spell.