RECORD grain tonnages are being received at two of the AWB GrainFlow sites at both Surat and Talwood.
With the grain harvest expected to wrap up early next week, AWB Queensland regional manager, Craig Kimmorley says this year's grain is being harvested quicker than ever.
"So far we have received 190,000 tonnes of grain receivables, against 90,000 tonnes against last year," Mr Kimmorley said.
"We will finish the season early next week with a combined 200,000 tonnes at both Talwood and Surat.”
Mr Kimmorley attributed the fast harvest to a variety of factors.
"Firstly farmers have experienced a much better growing season than previous years, and are enjoying a better yield,” he said.
"Another contributing factor is the improved efficiency of farm machinery. With the arrival of the summer storm season most growers are keen to take their grain off as quickly as possible.
"It has much to do with best practice harvesting, and better technology used by Queensland farmers and the trend is to use larger machinery with increased capacity.”
Mr Kimmorley said one Surat district farmer, Ian Rollinson, is currently working six 40 foot headers and eight road trains to get his crop off.
“This year 90 percent of grain coming into the system is being warehoused. The trend is growers are getting their crop off as quickly as they can, and into the warehouse and then making their marketing decisions.
"This is giving growers more flexibility in their marketing decisions."
AWB's territory manager for southern Queensland, Steven Newton-Howes said there was plenty of wheat in the world at the moment.
"Due to weak international demand, and reluctance to commit by local consumers such as feedlots, the price is well below last years level," Mr Newton-Howes said.
"Currently wheat is sitting at 509.2c/US bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade. At the moment, there are no factors on the horizon for the price to rise in the short term, and that is driving farmers to warehouse their grain."
AWB operations manager for Queensland and northern NSW, Richard Sutton, said Talwood and Surat certainly experienced some record days receiving up to 5300 tonne some days.
"At any time we had 20 to 30 trucks lined up waiting to unload, as the crop certainly came off in a hurry," Mr Sutton said.
"At Talwood we received 90,000 tonnes in 22 days, as against 76,000 tonne in 49 days, last year.
"Surat received 60,000 tones, in 17 days, against 45,000 tonnes over about 28 days, last year.”
