GrainCorp expects to spend as much as 20 per cent to 30pc more than last year improving the efficiency of its grain receival and outloading operations for next season's harvest.
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As the grain handler braces for a potential third successive big winter crop harvest in 2022-23, more bunker storage sites and temporary "flexible storage" options are on the priority list, plus investment in faster unloading equipment and grain stackers.
Although the eastern grain belt has generally not experienced the sort of drenching conditions to hit coastal districts this year, managing director, Robert Spurway, said soil moisture conditions for the start of the planting season had set the potential for another "very large harvest".
In the six months to March 31 the company handled just under half the total winter crop and summer sorghum crop estimated to have been harvested eastern Australia, with more sorghum still being received.
Its silo sites in Queensland, NSW and Victoria took in 14.7 million tonnes for the season - about 300,000t more than for the same period the previous year.
In addition, GrainCorp started the harvest with about 4.3m tonnes of carryover grain still to be shifted from its country storages to port or domestic buyers.
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Mr Spurway, said the regional silo teams won praise from farmers for their commitment and flexibility as they juggled rain interruptions and harvest volumes which exceeded expectations.
The export supply chain had continued operating at "about twice its normal rate", with GrainCorp's port terminals running at near full capacity.
However, rainy conditions caused harvest delays and delivery surges, plus significant grain quality setbacks for many growers, underlining the need to keep investing in faster gear and more efficient receival and outloading processes, especially as labour shortages plague the entire farm sector.
"Overall, we're in a very strong position, but we will have to lift our capacity in some areas," he said.
Mr Spurway said the company normally spent $35m to $45m maintaining and improving grain storage and handling assets and related equipment, but last season spent roughly 25pc more than average, or about an extra $10m.
He expected the year ahead would require a similar level of increased spending to further improve storage capacity and delivery turnaround times.
Adding to the logistical challenge, there was likely to be up to 6m tonnes of carryover grain still in GrainCorp's storages or its port supply chain as harvest cranked up.
"We'll look at how the crop emerges in coming months before committing to exactly what we need to do, but we'll make funding available where it makes sense," he said.
Last season's investments included about 1m tonnes of extra storage and 500,000t of flexible storage space in addition to the 500,000t of "flex" facilities already being used.
Flexible receival sites are silos previously mothballed but maintained to be ready to open as needed, particularly in big harvest years.
"If you look at the scale and capacity we will need to build on, it's most likely we'll be looking again at more bunker storage space," he said.
Although some grain handling gear did have to move between its different country storage sites to accommodate varied load peaks during harvest, he believed GrainCorp had about the right balance of equipment priorities available to manage productivity effectively.
"The feedback we received after last harvest was very positive, despite all the challenges caused by the weather," he said.
"In particular the quality of the people and the culture at GrainCorp - their performance and commitment - was appreciated and was a credit to our regional network."
He said agribusinesses needed to be resilient to handle varying seasonal and supply chain challenges and pleasingly the company's performance across all business areas had reflected that resilience.
Looking ahead, he said, despite the eastern Australian grainbelt being a big area, overall conditions at this point were "very favourable".
"Although some areas may be a little bit wetter than farmers may like," he said.
"But if you talk to them, you'd be hard pressed to find a farmer who'd ask for it to stop raining - they'll take the wet over a drought any day."