May 5, 2009
Australia's CBH exports 950,000 tonnes grain in April; less 38 percent vs March
Western Australia's monopoly grain logistics provider Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd. late Monday reported exporting 950,000 tonnes of grain through its system in April, down 38 percent from 1.54 million tonnes in March.
April shipments took total exports from crops harvested last crop year ended March 31 and delivered to CBH to 6.2 million tonnes, a little more than half the total received by CBH, it reported in a statement to Dow Jones Newswires.
The grain - mostly wheat, but which also included barley, canola and other grains - was loaded onto 204 ships at CBH's four export terminals in 184 days, the grower-owned company reported.
CBH doesn't own all the grain that flows through its system, though it is the biggest exporter from Western Australia - a major source of globally traded wheat and barley. The company provides access to its export terminals and nearly 200 upcountry storage sites under a monopoly logistics agreement authorized by the national competition regulator.
"The congestion at Western Australia's ports in February was cleared last month, a result of the additional road and rail resources that were brought in to assist with the marketing surge," CBH reported.
CBH also implemented a revised, temporary allocation system that succeeded in regulating bookings on its shipping stem or schedule so that the tonnage exported met the capacity of the upcountry road and rail transport system to supply the export terminals, it reported.
CBH is working with exporters to develop and finalize a long-term shipping allocation system that is more coordinated, manageable and efficient, it said.
"Details on the allocation system are likely to be finalized by the end of this month," it said.
At some stages early this year, more than 20 vessels were waiting to load cargoes at CBH terminals, as the company grappled with a rain-delayed harvest, limits on the volumes of grain able to be moved upcountry and the impact of new liberalized wheat export arrangements that started July 1, 2008.
There now are only a few vessels either berthed or at anchor to load grain in Western Australian ports, according to port authority internet sites.
