Australian grain deliveries for the October 2023-February 2024 season are breaking early harvest records, but delivery volumes could fade at the end of the season owing to dry conditions through the crop growing period, decreasing yields.
Dry weather across Australia has seen this year's harvest season start earlier than the previous year, but will return to normal seasonal harvest trends. Grain receivals to date in 2023 exceed 2022, but total grain production for the season is forecast to drop by 24pc on the year to 48.72mn t because of dry conditions during the growing season and the El Nino phenomenon, according to Australia's Rabobank.
The harvest in Queensland is winding down, but receivals are still trickling into the Darling Downs and Goondiwindi regions as harvest activity ramps up in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. QLD grain aggregator Graincorp reported good quality wheat receivals in Wyalong and Griffith regions of NSW. Early canola supplies are also starting to reach most southern NSW sites, such as Henty and Boree Creek.
A total of 3.3mn t of grain has been delivered in Western Australia's (WA) CBH network so far this season, signalling that harvest is well under way across the state. All five WA zones doubled their total receivals for the year by the week to 5 November, as growers across the grain belt made the most of warm, dry harvesting conditions. The Albany zone received more than 298,000t in seven days, which was over 70pc of its total harvest receivals for this season in just one week, according to CBH's most recent grain receivals report.
Deliveries into the Viterra network this season have reached 1.4mn t by the week to 5 November. Viterra took delivery of 925,000t of grain during the month of October, the largest October deliveries ever for the company. Wheat and barley were the major commodities received, followed by field peas and beans.
CBH grain receivals to date 2022 vs 2023 comparison ('000 t) | ||
Region | Total 2023 | Total 2022 |
Albany | 454 | 95 |
Esperance | 777 | 238 |
Geraldton | 790 | 1,042 |
Kwinana North | 719 | 784 |
Kwinana South | 568 | 282 |
CBH Total | 3,308 | 2,442 |
Source: CBH |
Graincorp grain receivals to date 2022 vs 2023 comparison ('000 t) | ||
Region | Total 2023 | Total 2022 |
Queensland | 392 | 962 |
New South Wales | 1,005 | 174 |
Victoria | 121 | 5 |
Total grain receivals | 1,518 | 1,141 |
Source: Graincorp |
Viterra grain receivals to date 2022 vs 2023 comparison ('000 t) | ||
Region | Total 2023 | Total 2022 |
Western region | 793 | 31 |
Central region | 579 | 1 |
Eastern region | 118 | 0 |
Viterra total | 1,489 | 32 |
Source: Viterra |