NSW grain farmers have called for GrainCorp and other operators of grain bulk handling networks to ensure changes to storage and handling networks deliver benefits to farmers.
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NSW Farmers’ Grains Committee member and Moree district farmer Rebecca Reardon called for GrainCorp to ensure that it considers the needs of its farming customers.
“Australian grain farmers face the highest supply chain costs of any farmers across the world. These costs are a strain on our profitability,” she said.
A recent Rabobank report indicates farmers are losing as much as $7 per tonne in transport from farm gate to receival site as a result of unloading delays and as much as $30 per tonne in rail delays and speed constraints.
“We support GrainCorp looking to reduce supply chain costs by focussing on both harvest receival site unloading efficiencies and train loading efficiencies,” Ms Reardon said.
“Growers will be able to see immediate benefits in unloading efficiencies and as such GrainCorp needs to place a greater focus on this area than currently planned.
“With GrainCorp proposing to radically alter its network including closing 100 sites across eastern Australia, NSW Farmers is calling for it to ensure that the changes also provide a benefit to farmers.
“One of the ways this could be achieved is by ensuring silos are adequately equipped so that there is a quick turnaround when farmers are delivering grain during harvest and reducing the time that it currently takes to load trains bound for port,” she said.