Week ending Sunday 01 October 2017 report

Viterra received its first loads of new season grain last week, signalling the start of harvest in South Australia.

The first load for the 2017/18 season was a load of barley into Port Pirie in the Central region.

Viterra is well-prepared for harvest and has been working closely with growers to ensure sites can meet their needs. The company has the flexibility to receive the large range of commodities and grades produced by growers each year, and has introduced a new declaration process to ensure the quality requirements of end-use customers continue to be met.

More than 1300 additional people are being employed for the harvest period, mostly in regional areas, to ensure a high level of service for growers, exporters and domestic customers.

About 5.5 million tonnes of export capacity has already been booked for 2017/18 by 13 different exporters, providing a hugely competitive environment for growers delivering into the Viterra system.

Viterra’s ongoing investment in the supply chain has helped keep Export Select freight rate rises to a minimum this year.

Significant efficiency gains have been achieved in the eastern Eyre Peninsula and around Loxton and Pinnaroo, which have been reflected in lower freight rates for those areas. For example, efficiencies have been achieved from the upgrade of the Lincoln Highway / Balumbah-Kinnard Road junction – spanning about 40km from Rudall to Port Neill.

Viterra understands keeping freight rates as low as possible helps South Australian grain be competitive globally and continues to look for opportunities to improve efficiencies in the supply chain. 

Disclaimer
* This data is subject to variation due to individual site operations and the timing of reports.
** The total 2017/18 data includes grain received into Viterra’s storage and handling network since 25 September 2017.
*** Eastern region data includes Inner Harbour and Victorian sites.