Harvesting moist grain pays a remium

摘要

EASTERN Australia's 2010 wet winter crop harvest has led grain storage specialists to urge growers to "push the envelope" when it comes to harvesting grain at higher moisture to capture greater financial returns. They say growers have to overcome thepsyche that cereal harvesting can only start at 12 per cent moisture. Andrew Kotzur, who runs grain storage construction company Kotzurs, has urged growers to look at the success of farmers in Europe and America - who regularly harvest at 20 per cent moisture and above, and air dry grain to lower it to meet buyer requirements - as something which could be achieved in Australian conditions. He cites examples in 2010 of northern NSW growers harvesting wheat early at 15 per cent moisture prior to the onset of wet weather, ensuring premium quality and achieving a 200 a tonne premium over the feed wheat which resulted from weather damage.