Sunmaster

Until now, Australian Hard (AH) has been the highest quality grade that wheat growers in Victoria and SA have been able to market their grain into. Meanwhile, NSW and Queensland growers have had access to potential price premiums, being able to sell grain into the Australian Prime Hard (APH) quality grade that has existed there for some time.

Recent industry pressure has resulted in the creation of an APH quality grade for Victoria and SA, and Sunmaster is one of the very first varieties to gain an APH quality classification for the Southern Zone. This means that Sunmaster, if grown in Victoria and SA, and achieves APH specifications, could potentially be delivered into a dedicated APH quality segregation, attracting potential price premiums.

Although primarily bred for NSW and Queensland as a Suntop replacement, Sunmaster may be a useful variety for growers in some regions of Victoria and SA who can capitalise on the marketing opportunities that an APH quality classification offers. Sunmaster’s unique quality classification is coupled with modest yields in most regions of Victoria and SA, therefore growers will have to determine whether the potential price split between APH and other grades off-sets any yield deficit. An exception is North East Victoria, where Sunmaster yields very competitively relative to other commonly grown varieties. In this environment, an APH quality classification could result in higher profitability for those that choose to grow Sunmaster.