Grain trade Australia’s largest exporter will blend North American and Australian wheat to be used by Asian millers
Australia’s largest grain growers’ co-operative has opened a North American office to source American and Canadian grain.
CBH Group based in Western Australia announced last week that it has opened an office in Portland, Oregon.
Wheat sourced in Canada and the United States will be blended with Australian wheat and used by Asian millers to achieve desired end-use characteristics.
CBH’s North American office will complement the company’s existing operations in Australia, which include four export terminals on the country’s west coast and nearly 200 collection facilities throughout Western Australia, the country’s largest wheat exporting state.
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CBH is the largest exporter of wheat, barley and canola in Australia.
In 2011-12, it received more than 15 million tonnes of grain, much of which was exported to markets in Asia.
“As we all know, the Asian region is growing at a phenomenal pace and the demand for grain based products is increasing year on year,” said Jason Craig, the company’s general manager of marketing and trading.
“The Portland office will just enable us to further strengthen our trading and marketing relationships in the region and service our customer’s requirements with origination from multiple locations,”
Craig said Asian demand for wheat is expected to increase by 11 million tonnes over the next five years.
Since the Australian wheat market was deregulated, the company has increased its customer base to include 260 buyers in more than 30 countries, he added.
CBH’s total grain exports of approximately 5.7 million tonnes in 2011-12 accounted for approximately 22 percent of Australia’s total exports in major grains and oilseeds.
