CBH gears up for big harvest with future-focused strategy
As headers start rolling across Western Australia, there’s a quiet sense of confidence in the air at CBH.
After months of planning behind the-scenes work, the grower-owned co-op is ready for another massive harvest, expected to come in at around 23 million tonnes (mt).
It’s a challenge that CBH has met before and is ready to meet again, thanks to a mix of ongoing investment, new technology, and a long-term strategy that’s all about keeping pace with growers.
This year there is less grain left over from last season, just 2mt in carryover, which will reduce as October harvest shipping continues. Compare this to the last time WA growers delivered a comparable crop to CBH – 22.9mt in 2023 – when carryover was 5mt.
CBH Chief Operating Officer Mick Daw said this readiness isn’t about luck, but rather planning.
“Our internal modelling suggested an above average harvest was coming, so we activated our Peak Planning team months ago. They run scenarios and make sure the network can flex as needed for a crop of this size,” Mr Daw said.
“As growers continue to innovate and push yields higher, we’re making sure our network can handle it now and in the future.”
Since 2020, the co-op has added 7mt of storage across the network, with a mix of permanent and low-spec options. This season alone, growers will see new permanent storage totalling 500,000 tonnes at places like Newdegate and Corrigin, plus upgrades at Avon, Chadwick, Hyden, Wagin, Cunderdin and Quairading.
There’s also a major push on low-spec storage, with 1.25mt added across 25 sites, 250,000 tonnes reinstated and 1mt of existing low-spec storage remediated. To keep grain moving efficiently, CBH has bought 10 new drive-over grids, and made throughput upgrades at sites including Perenjori, Beaumont, West River, Shark Lake, Brazier St sites and Esperance Port.
Moving the grain out is just as important as getting it in. Currently, CBH is planning to ship 20mt for the coming year and aims to increase that as the season progresses. In addition to the shipping task, up to another 2mt will be outturned from the CBH network to domestic customers and via containers.
The rail fleet is getting a major boost, with 500 of the 650 new wagons already delivered and more on the way. New narrow-gauge and standard-gauge locomotives will start arriving early next year, effectively doubling the fleet and giving CBH serious outloading firepower.
Rapid rail outloading projects are also making a big difference. At Broomehill, for example, a 60-wagon train now loads in four hours whereas previously it took 11 hours to load 30 wagons. Similar projects at Moora and Cranbrook will come online during the year, making it easier to get grain to port when required. Upgrades to shiploaders at the Kwinana Terminal, storage annexes at Geraldton Terminal and grid upgrades at Esperance also help keep up with demand.
Technology is also playing a bigger role. This year, CBH will roll out its Visual Analysis technology across more than half the network. It delivers consistent, accurate grain grading with real-time results sent straight to the CDF app, helping growers make faster decisions.
As harvest ramps up, CBH is ready for the shift in pace. “With ongoing investment across the supply chain, we’re keeping pace with bigger crops, faster turnarounds and shorter harvest windows,” Mr Daw said.
“For growers, that means a network built to handle whatever the season delivers, and a co-op focused not just on this harvest, but on the ones to come.”