PARKSIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA — Viterra is making changes to its site footprint ahead of the 2020-21 harvest as the company continues to focus on providing a more efficient supply chain in Southern Australia.

Michael Hill, operations manager of Viterra Australia, said the company is responding to the changing needs and delivery patterns of growers and adapting to the evolving environment for South Australia’s grain industry.

“We are focused on providing customers with the most efficient, cost effective and sustainable supply chain and delivering value through the services we provide,” Hill said. “Last year, we provided nearly A$10 million in additional value directly to growers through dynamic binning, and reduced freight rates, storage and handling fees and warehousing fees.”

While Viterra Australia plans to reopen some of its grain sites some will close.

“We intend to open 55 sites for the coming harvest,” Hill said. “These sites have previously taken 97% of total receivals and have the capacity to manage all grower deliveries. There are 12 sites that will not open this year and will not play a future role in our network. These are difficult decisions, and where this has occurred, we are advising growers of delivery options for the 2020-21 harvest.

“Growers are directing the majority of their deliveries to Viterra’s larger sites where we can provide more segregation options, faster elevation capacity, quicker turnaround times, longer opening hours and the ability to handle all truck configurations.”

Viterra will have 9.8 million tonnes of storage capacity available and will continue to provide segregations for all the major crops grown in South Australia.

Hill said Viterra is taking a long-term approach to ensure it can continue to provide a high level of service to growers and attract buyers to purchase South Australian grain.

“We have invested around $200 million at our sites in the last five years,” he said. “We will continue to invest in our people, infrastructure and services to provide the greatest value to our grower and buyer customers.”