Buyers keen on Australian grain

Australian wheat and barley continue to price very competitively into international markets.

This is welcome news for growers given the recent strength in Australian grain prices on the doorstep of harvest. It should mean Australian grain is still buying demand into major off-shore destinations.

This may help maintain the recent gains in our values unless global values were to fall, or growers were to sell a lot of grain quickly.

The table shows indicative wheat values as at last week in US$ terms on a Free on Board (FOB) basis ex Western Australia and Eastern Australia versus our major competitor origins of Black Sea and US Pacific Northwest.

The table then provides a comparison of values from those origins delivered to the major importers on a Cost and Freight (CNF) basis delivered major ports.

You can see Australian wheat is the most competitive by some margin into the major consumption areas of Asia and the Middle East compared to other exporters.

When we do the comparison for barley it is a similar story. Both Western and Eastern Australian barley is approximately US$50/t cheaper into the Middle East (a major barley consumer) than barley from the Black Sea!

There are plenty of buyers interested in buying Australian grain. Many buyers are searching for grain on offer on Clear Grain Exchange and indicators are pointing towards a relatively strong demand profile for Aussie grain.

However, there can only be so much grain pushed out of Australia at any one time due to supply chain constraints.

A potential downside risk to values is how growers decide to sell their crop in coming months. If many growers sell a lot of grain quickly, it may push values lower. A slower selling pace from Australian growers will help to underpin prices to help it line-up with grain moving off-shore.

Australian growers should know that your behaviour can have a large impact on prices you're receiving at the farm gate, particularly when the world needs Australian grain, and Australian grain is well priced into world markets!

Grain is consistently selling at better values on Clear Grain Exchange (CGX) than published bids. Make sure you have your grain on offer on CGX, at the price you want so all buyers can see it and try to buy it, and you can be sure it’s selling at its full value.

Visit cleargrain.com.au to view recent trades on the exchange or

call 1800 000 410.