STORAGE
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A feature from
Supplying flour and feed millers The largest co-operative exports over 10 million tonnes of wheat annually
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by Roger Gilbert, Milling and Grain magazine
estern Australia has four strategically located ports with some 15.8 million tonnes of shipping capacity to move its grain production from the region onto world markets. That was the starting point for an update on ‘The Australian Wheat Export Market’ provided in a keynote address by Matthew Griffiths of the Australian CBH Group to delegates gathered in Jakarta for the 6th Annual South East Asia District Conference and Expo hosted by the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) in early October. Outlining the strength of the Australian grain growing industry, and in particular the integrated supply chain in Western Australia where his company – Australia’s largest grain exporter - has significant operations, he highlighted the 20 million tonne storage capacity, supported by 195 grain receiving sites in Western Australia and the continuous investment being made in worldclass infrastructure to protect grain destined for milling in export countries. CHB’s customers are flour, feed millers and food processors with wheat grown by 4500 members producing over 10 million tonnes annually on average, making it the largest co-operative in Australia and possibly the world. The company markets more than half of all grains produced in
58 | November 2015 - Milling and Grain
Western Australia and is the country’s largest exporter loading over 10 million tonnes per year and chartering a further two million tonnes. The total export for marketing year 2014-15 reached 14.08 million tonnes with 8.4 percent (or 60 percent of the total) coming from Western Australia. South Australia exported four million tonnes (or 28 percent of the total) while Victoria and New South Wales contributed 750,000 tonnes and 830,000 tonnes respectively leaving Queensland exporting just 100,000