Category: Grains

Trade in the domestic market remains thin as prices flatten on solid export demand and limited grower selling. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Market flattens as buyers weigh up options

GRAIN Central’s new business development manager, Hannah Bourke, has taken up the reins in her new position this week. Hannah will be responsible for advertising sales across the Beef, Sheep… Source: Grain Central Meet Grain Central’s new business development manager, Hannah Bourke

Months of hard work to strip already damaged crops is continuing as many farms are left battling floodwaters to finally finish harvest. Source: ABC Grain Helicopters, boats helping farmers to finish a long, hard harvest

Australian farmers are harvesting the least expensive wheat in the world and it is getting cheaper by the day.  Source: ABC Grain Wheat price plummets as farmers race to finish harvest

As the WA harvest marched south over the last month, grain yields for all crops have continued to exceed pre-harvest estimates, according to the latest report from GIWA. Source: Grain Central WA harvest continues to set records

Pacific National this week announced plans to start build an intermodal terminal at Little River near Melbourne and have it operating by 2026. Source: Grain Central PN to build container terminal at Little River

Australian farmers are predicting the “magic combination” of high commodity prices, low interest rates and good seasonal conditions will continue in the year ahead – sustaining a continued high level of confidence across the sector. Source: Grain Central Rural confidence remains on high: Rabobank

WA’s Wide Open Agriculture is raising capital to build the state’s first large-scale oat-milk factory, and has just signed a deal which will see put its OatUP milk on Woolworths shelves in around half the chain’s stores. Source: Grain Central Oat milk gets leg up with WOA-Woolworths deal

Incitec Pivot Fertilisers (IPF) will pay $38 million to secure a majority stake in Australian Bio Fert Pty Ltd (ABF) and build Australia’s first large-scale plant to develop and deliver a new category of sustainable fertilisers. Source: Grain Central IPL buys into Australian Bio Fert ahead of Vic plant build

Northern values were steady, while in the south wheat was steady to firmer in the past week as good-quality grain from the fast-moving Victorian harvest hits the market and barley softened. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Market steady as southern harvest picks up

The CBH Group has today released its 2021 Annual Report which shows a surplus of $133.8 million driven by strong global demand for grain and an above average 2020/21 harvest. Source: Grain Central CBH Group records 3.8 million surplus

A meteoric rise in fertiliser prices, essential for Australia’s $13 billion grain industry, has farmers looking for alternatives to fix nutrients into their soils.  Source: ABC Grain High global energy costs sees 230pc price hike in crop fertilisers

The gross value of crop production is forecast to reach a record $43 billion in 2021–22, driven by record winter crop production and high world grain and oilseed prices, according to ABARES Source: Grain Central Ag production value, volume soar to historic heights: ABARES

Construction of the Northern Territory’s first cotton gin is well under way, with the facility on track to start operating in July next year. Source: Beef Central NT cotton gin takes shape in cattle country

One of the most significant organisations in the development of the cotton industry in Australia, Queensland Cotton, is celebrating its 100th birthday. Source: Grain Central Queensland Cotton hits the century

West Australian farmers harvest one of their best crops on record with bumper yields, good quality, and high prices. Source: ABC Grain WA farmers celebrate ‘once-in-a-generation season’ with good news trifecta

Food prices will remain high in 2022 as adverse weather, inflation along supply chains and logistical strains stay likely to continue, according to Rabobank’s annual Agri Commodity Markets Outlook report. Source: Grain Central Food price turmoil to continue in 2022: Rabobank

Irrigators in the Murray–Darling Basin faced a challenging year in 2019-20 due to water scarcity and low allocations following persistent drought up until late 2019, according to an ACCC report. Source: Grain Central Irrigators turned to water allocation markets to cope with 2019-20 drought

Keep up to date with Australian cropping industry developments with Grain Central’s monthly quiz. Source: Grain Central Grain Central’s November 2021 grain and cropping news quiz

ABARES has lifted its estimate for the wheat crop now being harvested by 5.5pc to 34.4Mt, while its barley number is up 6.5pc to 13.3Mt, and canola has risen 13.8pc to 5.7Mt. Source: Grain Central ABARES lifts forecasts for wheat, barley, canola

Australian winter crop production is forecast to reach a new national record, according to the December Australian Crop Report released today by ABARES. Source: Grain Central Record year for Australian winter crop production: ABARES

Drivers unfamiliar with country driving are being urged to act safely around road trains as a delayed harvest in WA’s Wheatbelt and south keeps grain trucks on the road for longer this summer. Source: ABC Grain City drivers, tourists urged to exercise patience around road trains during long harvest

WA growers have delivered 2Mt of grain to the CBH network in the week to yesterday to lift its harvest intake to 6.3Mt. Source: Grain Central CBH intake hits 6.3Mt in WA harvest

The wet spring across eastern Australia that has interrupted winter crop harvest and led to flooding in some regions is also causing issues for emerging and early-growth summer crops. Source: Grain Central Wet spring hinders summer crop progress

Continued confidence across Australia’s agriculture industry has seen strong business investment through this year’s harvest season. Source: Grain Central Strong investment highlights ag sector confidence: CBA

Several rainfall events slowed down the rate of harvest deliveries to WA’s CBH sites, with 1.8 million tonnes (Mt) received throughout the past week taking total deliveries to 3.8Mt. Source: Grain Central WA winter crop harvest deliveries hit 3.8Mt: CBH

A select group of experts and community leaders from the cotton industry has been brought together to further improve cotton sustainability. Source: Grain Central New cotton group formed to advance sustainability

The manufacturing of plant-based proteins in Australia appears to be gathering pace with an agreement on hemp signed last week, and GrainCorp looking at options based on pulses and canola. Source: Grain Central Hemp joins plant-based protein camp as investment widens

Harvest in the WA grainbelt has been a stop-start affair due to continued rainfall events and the unseasonal cool conditions slowing down the “finish” of crops. Source: Grain Central Stop-start WA harvest yielding better than expected

GrainCorp earnings have tripled in FY21 from the previous year to reflect a bumper crop year in eastern Australia and buoyant global demand for grain and oilseeds. Source: Grain Central GrainCorp FY21 earnings of 1M triple FY20

Silage stockpiles across the eastern states have seen a remarkable turnaround in the past two years, with widespread rain delivering another season of good crops. Source: Beef Central Rough times turn around, as silage stockpiles grow

Growers in Murchison East will have to take an hour detour to access GrainCorp site during peak harvest, due to rail upgrades. Source: ABC Grain Railway station upgrades derail December harvest

The T-Ports bunker site at Kimba on South Australia’s upper Eyre Peninsula has received its first loads of barley. Source: Grain Central T-Ports receives first grain delivery into Kimba site

Operators bringing harvesting machinery into NSW from Queensland are on notice that they are required by law to ensure equipment crossing the border is free of the devastating parthenium weed and its seeds. Source: Grain Central Harvest machinery operators on alert for parthenium

Manildra Group has expanded its storage capacity on the NSW rail network by acquiring two sites, Bogan Gate and Grong Grong, from Cargill Australia’s GrainFlow. Source: Grain Central Manildra buys two more GrainFlow sites in NSW

The pilot bagMUSTER program is ready to launch in January and will enable LDPE bags used in agriculture to be recycled within Australia. Source: Grain Central bagMUSTER set to launch to collect, recycle ag bags

Wheat for export is making its way south from Moree now that the rail line linking it with Newcastle has reopened. Source: Grain Central NSW wheat moving on rail as Moree line reopens

GrainCorp and now Qube Agri have become the first two parties to help GPA roll out its site safety induction course for those delivering to bulk-handling sites. Source: Grain Central GrainCorp, Qube on board with GPA safety course

Keep up to date with Australian cropping industry developments with Grain Central’s monthly quiz. Source: Grain Central Grain Central’s October 2021 grain and cropping industry news quiz

Northern harvest pressure sees barley drop but wheat inches higher to reflect the later-than-normal harvest. Hungry for export SA bidders are strong while Victorian crops remain green. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus:  Barley prices sink, wheat rises

Australian wheat growers are on track to benefit from one of the best combinations of price and yield in Australian history, according to the NAB October Rural Commodities Wrap. Source: Grain Central La Nina outlook boosts agriculture’s already high optimism

Aurizon will be hauling grain in SA as well as WA now that it has agreed to purchase One Rail Australia. Source: Grain Central Aurizon to haul more grain, less coal with One Rail buy

A system developed by Bunge Loders Croklaan for identification of problem esters in human-consumption oils has become universal standard, and cut testing time from two days to two hours. Source: Grain Central Food oil contaminants test gains universal mark

State farming organisations from Queensland, NSW and Victoria have joined with their federal colleagues in calling for an urgent solution to the east coast’s harvest worker crisis. Source: Grain Central Farmers unite in call for harvest certainty

Winter crop harvest in Australia’s eastern cropping zone is progressing southwards with receival and storage operator, GrainCorp, releasing its first intake figures for the season today. Source: Grain Central GrainCorp releases first intake figures for eastern harvest

AGF Seeds at Smeaton has purchased Smyth Seeds of Benalla in a move which will help it increase its range and operational area in south-eastern Australia. Source: Grain Central AGF Seeds expands with purchase of Smyth Seeds

Expanding Moree-based business Pure Grain is bringing new efficiency and traceability to the malting barley supply chain for Asahi’s Yatala brewery. Source: Grain Central Pure Grain links into malting barley supply chain

As Australia heads towards its second largest grain crop ever, supply chain stakeholders will be double-checking harvest plans to make sure everything is in place to manage the predicted volumes. Source: Grain Central Bumper grain crop set to challenge supply chain: ANZ

Australia is set for a second consecutive bumper winter harvest, with total production forecast to come in just five per cent shy of last year’s near-record crop, according to Rabobank. Source: Grain Central Another ‘golden year’ for Australia’s winter crop: Rabobank

VICTORIAN family-owned seed company AGF Seeds has struck a blow for local ownership in the sector with the acquisition of the Benalla-based Smyth Seeds business. Source: Sheep Central AGF Seeds buys Smyth business to keep it local

The average annual gross value of the Australian grains industry rose 1pc to $12.9 billion over the past five years, according to GrainGrowers’ ‘State of the Australian Grains Industry (SOTI)’ report released today. Source: Grain Central Australia’s .9b grain sector ranks as second-largest ag industry

Increased confidence in the agribusiness sector has seen a corresponding increase in employment, but on the flip-side, many who left during the drought have not returned. Source: Grain Central Recruitment: Deciphering the employment market in Australian agriculture

According to chef and cooking school owner Tony Tan, it all depends on what type of rice you’re using and what you’re cooking. Source: ABC Grain Do you need to wash rice before cooking it?

Harvest has commenced in WA’s northern farming region with small areas of canola, barley and wheat taken off, according to the latest report issued by the Grain Industry Association of Australia (GIWA) Source: Grain Central WA on track for 19.3Mt winter crop as harvesters roll

In a recently commissioned report, Agribusiness Australia has highlighted the increasingly interdependent relationship between the success of Australia’s grains and red meat sectors. The chairman of Agribusinesses Australia, Mark Allison believes that this relationship is an unrecognised value-add for Australia’s core agricultural commodities, offering a profitable and sustainable grain to meat pathway for both commodity… Read more »

More than 4,000 employees are being offered the leave in a bid to help fill a significant farm labour shortfall in the lead up to a forecast bumper grains harvest. Source: ABC Grain NSW public servants offered harvest leave to support farm worker shortfall

Namoi Cotton, named as operator of the planned facility at Kununurra WA’s east Kimberley region, is considering options for building in North Queensland to further extend into the tropics. Source: Grain Central Namoi scans tropical cotton opportunities

Oat processor Blue Lake Milling has completed construction of its $8.1 million biogas plant at its Bordertown facility in South Australia, and expects it to be using it to supply all its energy needs by next month. Source: Grain Central Blue Lake Milling to turn oat husks into power

The Grain Central, Beef Central and Sheep Central editorial teams are delighted to announce the appointment of our newest full time agricultural journalist, Eric Barker, based in Tamworth, NSW. Source: Grain Central Eric Barker joins our reporting team

Nearby wheat and barley prices rise amid limited selling from growers in the delivered-consumer market, with attractive payment terms increasing the appeal to growers of selling into depots where grain is being accumulated for export. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Limited offers force up bids

The grain industry needs to recognise that sustainability is the new global market driver which will increasingly impact their businesses unless they take steps to address a range of environmental, social and governance issues. Source: Grain Central Sustainability-conscious world drives grain production, markets

Namoi Cotton has today announced it will take a 10pc stake in Kimberley Cotton Company, and build and operate the much-talked-about gin in Kununurra. Source: Grain Central Namoi named as builder, operator of Kimberley gin