CBH expands moisture management strategy

The CBH Group will roll out an expanded moisture management strategy during the 2013-14 harvest.

The successful expanded services were trialled in the 2012-13 harvest and will be rolled out across the state.

Under the moisture management strategy growers can deliver grain with a moisture content up to 13.0% at no additional cost. Growers will be able to deliver up to 13.5%, however charges will apply for deliveries over 13.1% and up to 13.5% for both wheat and barley to cover the storage risk and additional resources need to manage the services.

CBH Operations General Manager David Capper said that providing moisture management services was not a new concept.

"CBH has successfully been providing this service to growers in coastal areas where rainfall is prevalent during harvest, so expanding that program is a logical step," Mr Capper said.

"Providing growers with the services to deliver higher moisture grain helps them to get the grain off faster and reduces the risk of rain damage to standing crops. This can mean potential savings to growers in terms of labour and freight, as well as capturing more value for their grain".

"Moisture management provides growers with the flexibility to deliver grain that exceeds the maximum receival standard of 12.5% moisture for wheat, malt and food barley, and 13.0% for feed barley, provided it is within certain tolerances" he said.

"This harvest growers can deliver wheat, malt, food and feed barley up to 13.5% provided the weighted averages by site, grade or zone are at an acceptable level, but at all times below the maximum receival standards for that commodity and grade".

Moisture management services may differ within each zone therefore growers should refer to local site staff regularly during harvest as services could be closed off at any time without notice. CBH also encourages growers to attend their local pre-harvest meeting to find out in formation specific to their delivery site.