August 6, 2009
Australian watchdog rejects wheat port access plans; orders improvements
Australia's competition watchdog Thursday (August 6) rejected access arrangements for all wheat exporters proposed by the nation's three major grain export terminal operators and told them to resubmit their plans, which two immediately said they would.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission said the proposed port access arrangements "should provide greater clarity and transparency" for wheat exporters.
The three companies cited are ABB Grain Ltd., which operates mostly in South Australia; GrainCorp Ltd, which operates a monopoly on export terminals on the east coast; and Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd.,which operates a monopoly in Western Australia.
GrainCorp will work quickly to resubmit a revised port terminal access undertaking, while ABB will also revise its proposal, they said in separate statements.
