North and North-West Queensland Cotton Production Area Suitability Evaluation

For over 20 years various cotton growing trials have been undertaken in the Far North and North West of Queensland. Multiple proponents have contemplated the development of a cotton gin to increase the production efficiency of cotton cropping in the region. In the last 3 years, there have been six growers with cotton under production in the Atherton Tablelands in the Mareeba Dimbulah Irrigation Area (MDIA), and others watching with interest, as they look to diversify their own farming systems. To further assess the overall scheme potential, Namoi Cotton sought clarification on a number of aspects to assist in identifying a preferred potential location for the new cotton gin to service the region.  Verterra undertook spatial analysis based on crop requirements and site factors influencing productivity, and developed a multi-criteria framework to facilitate the transparent assessment of the relative merits of each potential production areas which will assist Namoi Cotton in their own further analysis and decision making.