News
12.11.2009
Slow start to grain harvest hits Western Australia
WA's harvest has been slow and frustrating for farmers as rain has hampered attempts to get crops off quickly, causing delays of at least two weeks in most areas of the State.
Farmers who have managed to harvest some grain have chosen to store it on farms to wait for better prices, which have been hit hard by the strong Australian dollar and high worldwide supplies.
CBH Geraldton zone manager Duncan Gray said, compared with this time last year, only half the amount of grain had been delivered to Geraldton port and the 21 receival points across the zone.
Of the estimated two million tonnes of grain expected to be delivered to the zone, only 345,000 tonnes had been received in the past three weeks since harvest began.
Mr Gray confirmed some farmers were holding on to grain to gain a better price.
Profarmer managing director Richard Koch said the season was expected to disappoint farmers, especially in the east and south-east regions that had a late start to harvest.
Prices had fallen slightly on the world market because of the Australian dollar's rise.
The West Australian (Perth)
