Royalties for Regions grant fosters brewing opportunity, Duncan

Author: Wendy Duncan
Published on: 25-January-2012

Grain growers in the Esperance port zone will benefit from investigations into containerized grain exports, says Mining and Pastoral member Wendy Duncan.

The Pulse Association of the South East (PASE) and South East Premium Wheatgrowers Association (SEPWA) have concluded their findings from a trial shipment of containerized grain last year. 

The shipment, which was supported by a grant of $52,300 Royalties for Regions under the GEDC Regional Grants Scheme, was aimed at giving grain growers of the Esperance region a general insight into the container grain exporting process which may, in time, foster grain exports from the Esperance port. 

“With the recent announcement of the expansion of the Esperance Port, the establishment of a regular Esperance/Singapore container trade and the “can-do” attitude of our grain growers, Esperance are ideally located to establish a container grain trade.”

According to Nigel Metz, Project Officer with SEPWA, some very valuable lessons were learned about shipping, export documentation and exporter/customer relations.  An opportunity for the export of specialist barley for maltless brewing was also identified and will be the subject of further work.

“The Royalties for Regions funding enabled SEPWA and PASE to send a representative to Sydney to attend training in export documentation as well as build valuable relationships with their customer, the port and the container shipping company,” Ms Duncan said.

“We look forward to further developments in innovative export of our quality grains from the south east.”

 Ends.