Your CY26 Growers’ Handbook
If you choose to grow for us this year, you'll receive a CY26 Growers’ Handbook—an information kit that has everything you need to know about the upcoming crop year in one place. This includes detailed information on everything from seed ordering, payment options and harvest resources, to access to products and services for approved growers and key dates to keep in your calendar. There’s also a handy overview of what’s changing for growers in CY26 on page three. If you didn’t receive a copy, you can access a digital version here or call Grower Services and they’ll send you one.
Easily accessible crop input funding through GrowRice
Through GrowRice, we offer easy-to-access, competitive financing to help eligible growers access up to $3,000 per hectare, on a case-by-case basis, to manage input costs across the production season.
Criteria for the approval of GrowRice funding includes that you have:
• Supplied rice to SunRice in the CY24, CY25 or CY26 harvest;
• Achieved at least 75% of the regional average yield for the variety/s grown in the years of delivery;
• Entered into a Fixed Price Contract to produce rice for us in CY27 or completed a GrowRice – Grower Undertaking.
If approved, you can access GrowRice funding for crop inputs, including water, fertiliser and pesticides, with repayments deducted from your 2027 crop proceeds.
GrowRice funding will now be provided via Westpac’s Payment Plus facility. Under this model, eligible growers will complete an online Know Your Customer process and, once approved, access funding through the Westpac Payments Plus platform. For Matilda contracts, GrowRice funding is only available for hectares that are not cancelled during the Opt-Out Period.
New Opt-Out Period for Matilda contracts
For CY27, we are introducing an Opt-Out Period for Matilda Fixed Price Contracts to give growers more flexibility while seasonal conditions and water availability become clearer.
The Opt-Out Period allows growers to submit a Matilda contract, order seed and plant during the optimal window, while retaining the option to reduce contracted hectares or opt out entirely by 5pm on 15 December 2026. No wash-out fee will apply to hectares cancelled before this deadline.
If you decide not to continue with some or all of your contracted hectares, those hectares must be removed at your expense and you will remain responsible for any costs already incurred, such as seed, fertiliser and water. Grower Services will inspect and verify that the crop has been removed.
After 15 December 2026, any remaining contracted hectares become committed and the usual delivery requirements and wash-out obligations will apply. The Opt-Out Period is only available for Matilda contracts and does not apply to Koshihikari or Opus.
Insurance for your CY27 rice crop
As a SunRice Grower, you can select insurance cover for your rice crop when you place your seed order. You’ll be prompted to select this option as part of the seed order process available through the Grower Portal.
Insurance premiums for the CY27 season are not yet available. Our Grower Services team will confirm your policy and pricing in late 2026 and, at that time, you can opt out or change the excess level applying to your policy.
