KAI sows interim crops

Ord Stage 2 developer Kimberley Agricultural Investment has begun seeding its first interim crop on the Goomig Plain, as it continues with its clearing and farm development agenda.

KAI general manager Jim Engelke said the company last week began planting chia and would also plant sorghum later this year while it continued the massive task of preparing land.

In March, Mr Engelke flagged planting could start within a couple months if the Kimberley's dry start to the year continued, allowing the company to finalise supply channels and drains.

"We've pre-irrigated about 250ha and we're planting chia at the moment," he said.

"We're really happy and pushing on and trying to plant further crops later in the year, but we just need to keep the development of land ahead of the farming."

KAI already has about 600ha of land cleared levelled and mounded, while there is 400ha to 500ha that will also be ready "fairly quickly" this year.

Mr Engelke said the interim crops would be a good chance to test tractors, equipment and farming techniques.

A subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Shanghai Zhongfu Group, KAI won the right to develop Stage 2 in 2013 as part of a lease arrangement with the State Government.

The company is working on 7400ha at Goomig Plain.