Grower Farren Frischke (second from right) delivers Kimba’s first load for the season, and first ever load of canola to Viterra Kimba employees Emily Weir, Scott Kemp and Shaun Gudzenovs. Photo: Viterra

GROWERS delivered 28,668 tonnes into the Viterra network in the week to Sunday to boost its intake for harvest to date to 32,207t, according to Viterra’s latest harvest report.

Sites in Viterra’s Western region received a large proportion of the deliveries, with most of them coming in over the weekend due to the warmer weather.

In the week to Sunday, nine Viterra sites received their first loads of the season.

They included Buckleboo, Cummins, Kimba, Port Lincoln, Rudall and Streaky Bay in Viterra’s Western region and Bute, Roseworthy and Wallaroo in the Central region.

Deliveries included barley, canola, field peas and lentils, and the first loads of wheat for the 2022-23 season at Thevenard terminal on western Eyre Peninsula (EP).

Kimba’s first ever delivery of canola arrived at the site last week, and was also its first delivery for this harvest.

A segregation for canola at Kimba was opened based on grower feedback and the results of Viterra’s planting survey which showed an increase in area planted to canola for the Upper EP district.

To give canola growers the opportunity for an immediate upgrade, Viterra has extended its dynamic binning service this harvest to include canola, alongside wheat and barley.

Dynamic binning gives growers the potential to access a higher grade for loads that are just outside receival standards.

Viterra general manager operations Gavin Cavanagh said extended opening hours will be available at sites when required as harvest ramps up.

“We recognise the slow start to harvest may put pressure on our grower customers to commence quickly when the weather permits,” Mr Cavanagh said.

Viterra’s investments and planning during the year will also assist in increasing efficiencies during this busy period.

“We have invested in infrastructure and equipment to support faster turnaround times including new driver over hopper stackers and upgrades to existing units,” Gavin says.

“To meet growers’ needs with a bumper crop, we have also invested in additional storage across the Eyre Peninsula, Mallee and South East.”

Table 1: Receivals into Viterra’s South Australian network for the 2022-23 harvest. Source: Viterra

Source: Viterra