ABA is the storage and handling arm of national grain marketer Emerald. In Victoria, Emerald accumulates grain as SQP Grain in a joint-venture partnership with Southern Quality Produce Co-operative.
Emerald Group General Manager Supply Chain and Operations John Warda said the upgrade’s focus has been on creating efficiencies.
“We’ve built two new bunkers which have added 20,000 extra tonnes of capacity. We’ve also improved roadways and drainage, upgraded the sample stand and purchased a high-capacity drive-over hopper and canola stacker,” Warda said.
With nearly 70,000 tonnes of storage capacity now available, the site will take on three new segregations: feed oats, lupins and buloke malt barley. The site will also continue to receive eight grades of wheat, barley and canola received last year.
“At this stage we’ve set aside a 1,200-tonne bin for each new segregation. We’re listening to feedback from local growers so we can cater for different grain being grown in the region,” Warda said.
ABA Elmore is an open-access site, meaning more than 40 registered grain buyers have the ability to post prices there.
“With over 1.2 million tonnes of exports planned from ABA’s Melbourne port terminal over the next 10 months, Elmore’s proximity will allow buyers to move grain to port 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it a preferred site for the many export marketers using our facilities” Warda said.
Warda said growers who warehouse grain at ABA sites also have the option of title-transferring their grain online to a live cash price.
“ABA has upgraded its website, allowing grain buyers to post their prices in real time, and growers to sell their grain if they see a price they like,” Warda said.“We hope it will save growers a bit of time this harvest.”
