Construction has been underway at George Weston Food’s new flour mill for almost a year. Source: BESIXWatpac

LATEST business developments across export, processing, and agribusiness include:

• ACCC supports CHS Geelong plan
• GWF flour mill progressing
• Elders completes Delta Ag merger
• Stevedore price hikes spark concern

ACCC supports CHS Geelong plan

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given preliminary backing to CHS Broadbent’s bid for a Wheat Port Code exemption for its planned Geelong terminal, according to findings released this week.

CHS Broadbent is currently constructing a bulk grain exporting facility in Corio, Geelong, Victoria which, when completed, will have annual shipping capacity of 1.5 million tonnes.

The facility will connect to an existing GeelongPort-owned ship loader and feature 84,000t of upright, sealed storage.

Last month CHS Broadbent related entity CHSB Corio applied to the ACCC for an exemption to parts 3-6 of the Wheat Port Code.

Under parts 3–6 of the code, port terminal service providers must offer fair and non-discriminatory access to exporters, follow dispute resolution processes, maintain ACCC-approved port loading and capacity allocation systems, regularly publish capacity and performance data, and keep detailed records of access agreements.

In its application, CHSB said an exemption would provide benefits to growers and exporters, including: “increased flexibility and functionality of port access”; “increased capacity of exports for the world market”; and “increased competitive pressure on price and services in the in the grain supply chain”.

“Granting exemption from parts 3-6 of the code will enable CHSB Corio to focus on driving the efficiencies and not add costly administrative burden,” the application said.

An overview of the structure of the CBSB Corio Geelong site when completed. Source: CHSB Bulk Terminal Pty Ltd via ACCC

The ACCC’s draft ruling found it “appropriate” to give CHSB’s Port of Geelong operation an exemption.

“CHSB will be subject to a high level of competitive constraint, providing it with incentives to provide exporters fair and transparent access to services without Parts 3 to 6 of the Code applying,” ACCC said.

“Exemption from Parts 3 to 6 of the Code would increase the operational flexibility of CHSB and reduce its Code-related compliance costs.

“The entry of CHSB is a pro-competitive development which will provide benefits to grain growers and exporters.”

There are five exempt service providers in Victoria, including: GrainCorp; Riordan Melbourne and Portland; Louis Dreyfus Company, and Port of Portland.

The ACCC is seeking feedback on the proposal, with consultation closing on November 14.

GWF flour mill progressing

George Weston Food’s $132.9 million new flour mill is taking shape at Ballarat West Employment Zone.

Announced in 2022, the new 7079 square metre, seven-storey mill will replace the historic North Melbourne Flour Mill, which, due to its metropolitan location, has limited expansion opportunities.

It has been nearly a year since work began on the site, with operations expected to start at the facility late next year.

GWF’s parent company, Associate British Foods plc (ABF), made some mention of the project in the full year 2025 results released on Tuesday.

The results confirmed that work had begun “to relocate our flour mill in Victoria” during FY25.

Construction at the GWF flour mill site at Ballarat. Source: Northrop Consulting Engineers

During the shareholder webinar, ABF executive director and chief executive officer George Weston mentioned the project as one of the company’s major capital expenditures currently under construction.

“We’ll get the flour mill in…Victoria complete that will reduce our costs there and solidify our position in the Victorian market,” Mr Weston said.

Mr Weston said the project and others in the ABF pipeline capitalise on existing “long term competitive positions” the company has in a market.

“The Australian developments are on the back of positions that we’ve already got.”

Flour mill project contractors Northrop Consulting Engineers and BESIX Watpac have also recently commented on the site’s “strong progress”.

They said the project resulted in the creation of more than 200 local construction jobs.

“The flour mill has afforded local subcontractors and businesses the valuable opportunity to gain experience in constructing a complex and unique facility,” BESIX Watpac general manager for Victoria and South Australia Al Crosby said.

“The specialised work carried out by local trades on this flour mill project is helping to build a skilled workforce that will leave a lasting legacy in the region.”

Northrop Consulting Engineers principal James Shelton said the project was complex, requiring direct supplier access for grain loading and unloading, and a structure capable of supporting a specialist milling plant.

“We are proud to design and deliver a second flour mill in partnership with BESIX Watpac and we look forward to the impact this project will have on the Ballarat region’s economy through the creation of construction and ongoing operational jobs,” Mr Shelton said.

Located near a rail corridor for efficient grain delivery, the fully automated plant will operate with processing equipment and sensors to ensure smooth operations and prevent flour build-up.

Expected to top out over the coming months, the facility will also feature a solar system to support sustainability goals, with provisions for future expansion including a packing facility, car parking, roadways, and rail infrastructure.

Elders has officially taken over Delta Agribusiness Photo: DeltaAg WA

Elders completes Delta Ag merger

Following the ACCC’s decision not to oppose the transaction, Elders has today confirmed that it has purchased 100 percent of shares in Delta Agribusiness.

Last month the consumer watchdog announced that it wouldn’t stand in the way of the sale if Elders committed to divest six Delta stores in Western Australia.

In a statement provided to the ASX, Elders said it had issued 22,300,558 new shares and provided total cash of $292 million to Delta shareholders.

“Elders has a proven track record of synergy generation through backward integration,” Elders managing director and CEO Mark Allison said.

“We expect that the acquisition of Delta will create meaningful value for Elders’ shareholders.

“Delta provides us with greater exposure to key local retail markets as well as a leading agronomy and farm advisory team to complement and extend our products and services range for rural and regional Australia.

“We welcome Delta’s management and employees to Elders.”

DP World’s stevedore fees at Fremantle will see the highest year-on-year increases of more than 47pc for exports and imports. Photo: DP World

Stevedore price hikes spark concern

Freight & Trade Alliance and the Australian Peak Shippers Association have voiced serious concern after major stevedores Patrick, DP World, Flinders and VICT announced substantial increases to Terminal Access Charges and ancillary fees across ports in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, effective 1 January 2026.

While the 60-day notice period meets the new National Voluntary Guidelines for Landside Charges, the scale of the hikes — mostly between 5 and 15 percent, and more than 45pc at DP World Fremantle — has reignited frustration across the trade sector.

FTA director and APSA secretariat Paul Zalai said the stevedores were “making a mockery of the voluntary arrangements.”

“There is absolutely no engagement with industry in determining these increases, leaving exporters and importers at the mercy of stevedores who can control their profits with the stroke of a pen,” Mr Zalai said.

Paul Zalai.

“All businesses are grappling with higher costs – rents, labour, insurance, energy, infrastructure expenditure – and are expected to absorb or justify price increases through productivity gains.

“Yet stevedores face no such scrutiny from their commercial clients, the foreign-owned shipping lines.”

He said the industry needed stronger oversight of stevedore pricing, or ideally, rules requiring stevedores to negotiate directly with shipping lines rather than passing costs on to others.

“If shipping lines then wish to recover costs, they can do so through commercial negotiation with exporters, importers and freight forwarders.”

“This isn’t a radical idea — it’s how commerce should work.

“We are simply calling for transparent, commercial negotiations to fix a well-documented market failure.”

FTA and APSA will continue to its constructive engagement with the ACCC in the lead-up to the soon to be released Container stevedore monitoring report 2024-25 and will be urging the government to heed the advice of its own regulator and fast-track meaningful reform.

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