GrainCorp’s Walgett site received its first grain and a two-week break due to flooding and limited road access. Photo: GrainCorp

HARVEST in eastern Australia has gathered pace in recent days amid some fine weather, where deliveries into the GrainCorp network have jumped from 1.1 million tonnes (Mt) as of Wednesday last week to 1.7Mt today.

In its second Harvest Update for 2022-23, eastern Australia’s biggest bulk handler by far said Central Queensland (CQ) growers were enjoying the biggest yields they have seen in more than a decade.

GrainCorp’s CQ sites have now received more 500,000t of grain, and are starting to shut to outload grain to create more capacity.

Also in Queensland, GrainCorp has reported good progress in its Goondiwindi and Western Downs clusters last week with improved weather.

Northern New South Wales sites across the Moree, Burren Junction and Narrabri regions have ramped up after favourable weather last week.

Roads re-opening around Walgett have allowed activity to increase in that region too.

Southern NSW sites are receiving predominantly canola so far, and harvest activity has been delayed by rain events impeding machinery access into paddock.

Weather is expected to improve next week.

In Victoria, sites across the Mallee and Swan Hill regions are receiving mostly canola and barley, with some receivals now trickling into Central Victoria, the Wimmera and North-East regions.

Again, weather is delaying harvest activity.

Table 1: Intake for the 2022-23 harvest to 21 November 2022. This follows the initial 2022-23 Harvest Update issued November 16 to coincide with GrainCorp’s year to 30 September 2022 financial results. Source: GrainCorp

Late crop development and delayed harvest activity has resulted in multiple commodities being delivered at once, with harvesting of canola, barley, and wheat all under way.

A wide range of quality and grades has been received across the network, including good quantities of milling wheat.

Source: GrainCorp