Despite below average grain production across South Australia, the largest shipment since the 2021-22 season was recently exported from the Viterra network, loaded with 71,500 tonnes of local growers’ wheat.
The vessel was loaded at Outer Harbor last month, with the shipment the equal largest to ever be exported from the terminal.
More than 400,000 tonnes has been exported from Viterra’s Eyre Peninsula ports at Thevenard and Port Lincoln this season.
Viterra’s supply chain general manager Derek Robjohns said the Outer Harbor shipment was an exciting achievement for both Viterra and growers in a challenging season.
“The South Australian harvest was overall better than expected with growers producing a high quality crop despite low rainfall, which shows why SA grain has such a great reputation around the world for its reliable quality,” Derek says.
“Exporting a large parcel like this demonstrates the continued demand for SA growers’ grain in the Viterra network and the strength of our supply chain, particularly when we use rail to move grain to our deepwater Outer Harbor port.”
Viterra has loaded more than 900,000 tonnes of growers’ grain to vessels on behalf of exporters.
“We have loaded SA grain destined for 15 countries so far, with 430,000 tonnes exported from our Eyre Peninsula ports, 300,000 tonnes from our Adelaide ports and 170,000 from our Yorke Peninsula ports across a total of 24 vessels,” Mr Robjohns said.
“We have more shipments coming up across all our port terminals to move southern Australian grain to international end users, whilst also delivering grain to meet domestic requirements which have remained steady throughout the season.”
The 71,500-tonne vessel was loaded with wheat destined for the Middle East.
“This shipment saw around $32 million worth of SA wheat headed internationally,” Viterra’s Australia New Zealand grains trading manager Simon Gellert said.
