Crop Calendars

July–August silking and grain fill set yield; harvest pressure peaks September–November.

Why it matters: Corn is the base energy grain in Alaf's poultry and ruminant rations — and Alaf's feed prices Al-Waha's broiler and egg costs downstream.

Second-crop corn planted after soybeans; June–August harvest supplies the export market.

Why it matters: Brazil's corn crop sets feed costs for Brazilian poultry — the frozen chicken Widam imports — and adds a southern-hemisphere leg to Alaf's corn sourcing window.

August pod-fill is the yield-critical window; meal tracks the bean crop plus crush demand.

Why it matters: Soybean meal is the protein base of Alaf's poultry and horse rations — the single biggest protein cost line in Qatari feed.

Southern-hemisphere counter-cycle: February–April harvest offsets the US off-season.

Why it matters: Brazil's Feb–Apr soybean harvest is the counter-seasonal window for Alaf's meal procurement.

Winter barley: sown May–June, spring rains Sep–Oct set yield, harvest November–December.

Why it matters: Australia is the Gulf's primary feed-barley supplier — Alaf's camel, sheep and TMR lines all ride the AU barley cycle.

Winter barley harvested June–August; autumn planting sets next season's area.

Why it matters: Black Sea barley is Alaf's alternative origin when AU supply tightens — the June–August harvest is the swing window (see the Black Sea scenario).

Gulf irrigated forage: cuttings cluster in spring and autumn; peak-summer heat suppresses regrowth.

Why it matters: Alaf grows its own alfalfa and Rhodes grass on 900 ha across 3 farms — the local cutting cycle sets how much US/Saudi hay it must buy in.

4–8 cuttings April–October; winter months draw down stacked supply, firming prices.

Why it matters: US export hay fills the gap Alaf's own farms can't cover — winter scarcity months are when import prices bite the TMR lines.

NZ spring flush (Sep–Nov) is peak milk supply — GDT auctions typically soften into the flush.

Why it matters: Baladna's UHT/Awafi line is recombined from imported powder, and its cheese uses butter/SMP inputs — all priced off the NZ-dominated GDT complex.

Gulf winter season: local harvest November–April; summer heat shifts supply to imports.

Why it matters: QATFA's 28-variety basket earns its best margins in the Nov–Apr local season; summer import reliance lifts the wholesale index (also Baladna's juice inputs).

Autumn pasture decline drives seasonal cattle/sheep turn-off; spring growth supports restocker demand.

Why it matters: Widam's chilled beef and lamb programme is AU-sourced — turn-off seasons set the export price it pays into Doha.

Pollination March; fruit development through summer heat; khalal/rutab harvest August–October.

Why it matters: NAFCO's entire product line starts at the Aug–Oct harvest — procurement and Ramadan-season inventory planning both key off this window. (No public date benchmark exists yet, so this calendar informs the page only, not the model.)