
Kojonup Feeds director James Heggaton, Great Southern Development Commission regional development director Lee Sounness, WA Minister for Agriculture and Food Jackie Jarvis, Kojonup Feeds accounts manager Courtney Robinson and Kojonup Feeds managing director Aaron Pontifex. Photo: Jackie Jarvis
IN BUSINESS news, Riordan Grains and GeelongPort have signed a lease agreement, a state government grant will back the expansion of Western Australia’s Kojonup Feeds stockfeed mill, and SunRice has reported a modest earnings increase in its half-year results.
New agreement for Riordan Grains, GeelongPort
Riordan Grain Services and GeelongPort have signed a four-year lease agreement for a 3000sqm shed on Corio Quay North.

GeelongPort chief executive Brett Winter and Riordan Grain managing director Jim Riordan. Photo: Riordan
The on-site storage capacity is expected to improve grain exporting efficiency and provide more options for grain marketing.
Riordan managing director Jim Riordan said he was pleased to secure the lease for the shed as it will provide critical capacity for the sophisticated logistics involved in export grain shipments.
Since their first shipment in 2018 using the pioneering mobile bulk loading system, Riordan Grains has built up to an annual export program of close to one million tonnes of grain in 2024.
Mr Riordan said the company had worked well with GeelongPort over the past five years to build an export program for wheat, barley and canola from Victoria to markets including Japan, South America, New Zealand, The Philippines, and South-east Asia.
“We have experienced growth in our business for more than 25 years, and this agreement with GeelongPort means that we can be more confident in making plans,” Mr Riordan said.
GeelongPort is Victoria’s main bulk port, and its chief executive officer Brett Winter said the port was proud of its longstanding relationship with the prominent local family-owned business.
“The benefits of Riordan’s operations on the state and economy are far-reaching, particularly in regional communities throughout Victoria, and GeelongPort is proud to be an important link in this incredible supply chain,” Mr Winter said.
Grant to fuel Kojonup Feeds growth
WA’s Kojonup Feeds has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the state government’s Value Add Investment Grants program to support a $2.17-million upgrade and expansion of its stockfeed mill.
Established in 2014, Kojonup Feeds supplies products for sheep, dairy cattle and beef cattle across regional WA.
The company operates an automated mill and, as part of its expansion, it will introduce advanced automated manufacturing equipment, improving efficiency and increasing production capacity by 40 percent.
This will enable Kojonup Feeds to produce an additional 47,000t of customised stockfeed made from WA grain.
The project also includes the construction of two new silos to enhance storage and distribution capabilities.
WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said the grant program will provide benefits to the entire agricultural supply chain.
“These grants create jobs, stimulate further investment and benefit the whole supply chain – from the growers and the producers to the manufacturers, to those who deliver and sell the final products,” Ms Jarvis said.
Agricultural Region MLC Shelley Payne said the expansion of Kojonup Feeds will result in five new full-time jobs and “provide ongoing economic and career opportunities in our rural areas”.
“By increasing local production of high-quality feed, Kojonup Feeds is strengthening the regional supply chain and supporting local grain growers and livestock industry,” Ms Payne said.
Modest gains in SunRice HY24 results
ASX-LISTED agribusiness SunRice Group has recorded moderate earnings growth of 7pc for the half year ending October 31, posting an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation result of $67.9 million.
Net profit after tax grew 5pc on HY24 to $31.9M.
The result was achieved through earnings growth across the Rice Food, Riviana Foods, and CopRice business segments.
Riviana Foods, which encompasses a range of specialty branded food products, saw the greatest EBITDA gains of 98pc, followed by the Rice Food segment, up 69pc.
SunRice Group CEO and managing director Paul Serra said the result was “largely delivered in line with expectations”.
“These results continue to demonstrate the strength and resilience of our business model, brands and product portfolio, and the focused efforts of our people to realise new opportunities and pursue our growth ambitions while actively managing challenging geopolitical and market conditions,” Mr Serra said in a release published to the ASX.
Pool returns hit by yields, global pricing
SunRice has updated the crop year 2024 pool to $380-$420/t for medium grain, narrowed from the previous range of $370-$430/t.
Mr Serra said despite the strong crop size of 618,000 paddy tonnes, the prevalence of lower whole grain mill-out rates and recent global tender pricing lows had hit anticipated pool returns.
He said these factors would impact CY24 returns in the order of $70/t compared to CY23.
“We are dealing with extremes from a milling-yield perspective.
“This certainly isn’t the norm and it’s one of the lowest milling yields that we have experienced over the course of 10 or 15 years.”
Mr Serra said CY25 crop, which will be harvested in coming months, was set to be smaller than the previous years.
“[P]leasingly volumes are in line with our production capacity and should ensure another full milling program in FY26.”
He said SunRice was also undertaking work in preparation for transitioning to an unregulated market as rice vesting was set to end in July 2025.
“This work includes modelling contracting options and other initiatives to help secure volume in the Riverina aligned to market demand.
“A number of these options will be explored with growers in the new year in order to seek input before they are finalised.”
Source: Riordan Grain Services, WA Government, SunRice
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