CBH releases first harvest report for 2024-25 season as grain deliveries ramp up across WA

CBH Group has released its first harvest report for the season after WA growers delivered 525,700 tonnes of grain across its receival sites in the week to Monday. The deliveries brought the Statewide total to 565,200t as of October 28, CBH chief operations officer Mick Daw said. “Harvest has started later and slower than in previous years, however with the warm weather forecast this week we expect activity to pick up significantly,” he said. “We expect most sites that will open this harvest to open this week, with deliveries to ramp up in the next fortnight.” Kwinana North port zone had received a total of 194,400t as of Monday, followed by Esperance with 175,000t, Geraldton (88,400t), Kwinana South (80,500t) and Albany (26,900t). The harvest was “progressing well” across Kwinana North according to the report, with barley accounting for most deliveries as well as small amounts of canola and lupins. Things were also looking good in Esperance, where canola and barley had accounted for most deliveries so far. Daily tonnages had been “relatively low” compared to last year but were expected to increase with good conditions forecast in the region. Heavy late rain had contributed to a “really slow start” in Geraldton, but a “steady flow” of deliveries was now arriving including canola, barley, wheat, and a small amount of lupins. The harvest was also off to a slow start in Albany, with mainly canola and some feed barley starting to be delivered. Meanwhile, the harvest was progressing steadily in the Kwinana South zone where barley had accounted for most receivals followed by canola and a small volume of oats. WA’s 2024-25 harvest officially began on October 8 with the delivery of 69.1t of canola to the Esperance Terminal. It came from Ravensthorpe grower Kye Chambers and his family who delivered six loads of canola to CBH. Mr Chambers and his brother Mitchell, together with their wives, Portia and Sophie, and parents Andrew and Jenny, crop more then 9000ha of wheat, canola and barley as well as vetch and faba beans. Lack of spring rain across the State’s growing areas have made what was looking to be a high tonnage year “less likely” according to the Grains Industry Assocation of WA. GIWA’s October crop report predicted WA’s total tonnage would range between 17 to 18 million tonnes — still a “remarkable” result given the low rainfall received this season, with the exception of the Geraldton region. Crop report author Michael Lamond said the State was previously looking at “a very good year”. CBH has urged motorists to drive cautiously with increased traffic on Wheatbelt roads.