GRAIN exports from South Australia have passed five million tonnes for the season, with shipping from the Eyre Peninsula alone passing two million tonnes.

Viterra said effective management of the supply chain had led to record shipments of the massive crop through Viterra’s six export terminals in South Australia.

Viterra’s general manager logistics & commercial relations, Jonathon Wilson, said the huge shipping task was supported by the company’s rail and road out-turn program.

“Moving a record crop cannot happen without buy-in from across the supply chain and with the aid of our strategic partners,” Mr Wilson said.

Helping to tip the shipping figure over five million tonnes was a barley vessel headed for China, through Glencore Agriculture.

Glencore Agriculture’s senior commercial manager, Lyndon Asser, said the vessel Densa Puma was loaded from Inner Harbour this week.

“We loaded 36,000 tonnes of barley, including the new variety Compass, bound for one of the world’s biggest maltsters,” Mr Asser said.

Compass is a new malting variety, and Mr Asser said securing a bulk cargo of Compass was an important step in the segregation’s development as it awaited accreditation.

“Chinese customers have enjoyed the quality seen in Australian malting barley and varieties such as Compass this year. This bodes well for continuing demand in 2017/18, given Compass plantings look to be high again.”

Eleven exporters have been shipping grain from South Australia this season to 21 different countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Source: Glencore Agriculture, Viterra