Victoria records strong grain receivals
Grain receivals are recording impressive totals in Victoria. Here’s where records have been broken.
GRAIN receivals are topping records in Victoria this year as the end of harvest nears for growers.
The North East recorded its best season in more than a decade, taking in more than 800,000 tonnes, according to GrainCorp’s final grain receival report for the season.
Last season, the volume was 150,000 tonnes.
Grain receivals in parts of the Wimmera and southern Mallee regions have also made records, GrainCorp said, with receivals still flowing in.
Lillimur received more than 118,000 tonnes, beating its previous record during the 2019-20 harvest season of about 106,000 tonnes.
Natimuk received more than 97,000 tonnes, compared with its previous record in 2012-13 of about 90,000 tonnes, while Nhill hit a daily receival rate of more than 14,000 tonnes in a day, beating its previous record of about 10,000 tonnes in a day.
GrainCorp figures show total receivals for Victoria reached 3,505,200 tonnes, up from last year’s 2,782,340 tonnes.
The report indicated the Wimmera and central Victoria were anticipated to remain active throughout January, with the Mallee and Swan Hill regions mostly finished.
NSW growers have also had a bumper season with total grain receivals smashing last year’s totals.
The state recorded a massive 8,363,800 tonnes this season, compared with last season’s dismal 513,613 tonnes.
GrainCorp said most of NSW was wrapping up with harvest, with some southern growers still delivering grain.
Meanwhile, Geelong APW1 prices dropped a few dollars from last week, according to Profarmer agricultural analyst Claudia Kirby, hitting about $288 a tonne.
But Ms Kirby said as harvest drew to a close, there may be “positive price movement.”
“This could reach potentially up to around the $300 a tonne mark, as grower selling eases,” Ms Kirby said.
This time last year Geelong APW1 prices were about $70 a tonne higher, averaging $355.
Ms Kirby said feed barley prices in the Geelong zone had risen by $1 to $2 a tonne since last week, and were now averaging $227 a tonne.
“This is still significantly lower than a year ago when feed barley prices were over $300 a tonne in the Geelong zone,” she said. “Strong demand and lack of barley stocks on the east coast in January 2020 were supportive of prices back then.”
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