1. Marketing Wheat to the World
AWB markets millions of tonnes of Australian wheat all over the world,
every year. It operates under a legislated Single Desk marketing system, which
is designed to provide growers with consistent returns from international
markets for their wheat by having a single supplier of bulk Australian wheat
for export. The Single Desk responsibilities are conducted under Federal Government
legislation, known as the Wheat Marketing Act 1989. AWB is formally committed
through its corporate constitution to use the Single Desk to maximise returns for
Australian growers delivering to AWB National Pool.
Wheat is received by the AWB National Pool under strict receival
standards and segregated according to grade classification and quality attributes.
The specific qualities and attributes of pool wheat are then matched to meet
the requirements of and contractual arrangements for international customers.
The Single Desk system is managed as an integrated wheat management
system. This means that AWB is involved in the whole marketing process, from
developing new wheat varieties right through to shipping our end product to
international customers. It involves crop shaping and setting receival standards,
driving efficiencies in storage, handling and transport and, ultimately,
delivering a unique product, demanded by and made to order for international
customers.
"Crop shaping" is a process for AWB to direct and manage
Australian wheat quality profile, by communicating important market information
from the customer back to breeding programmes and grain growers. AWB sets receival
and quality requirements to reflect the needs of international customers. This
information then encourages Australian growers to produce precisely the type
and quality of wheat customers are seeking and puts growers in a position to
receive better returns.
AWB Customers
Australia exports to more than 100 customers in more than 40 countries
around the globe, principally in the Middle East and Asia regions. All markets
have specific varietal, volume and timing requirements that must be met to
ensure the customer is satisfied, which in turn forms lasting business
relationships.
2. Moving Wheat
from Paddock to Plate Grain is grown throughout Australia, but primarily
in a narrow crescent running through the mainland states. This area is
generally known as the wheat belt (Fig. 24).
 |
Fig. 24: Australian wheat growing regions and export terminals
|
AWB has developed six main wheat grades - Prime Hard, Hard, Premium White,
Standard White, Soft and Durum (Tab. 28). These main wheat grades can be
further segregated in order to supply specific qualities that match customers
specifications.
 |
Tab. 28: Indicative protein specifications and regional availability
|
4. Australian Wheat Varieties
There are hundreds of different wheat varieties available to
Australian wheat farmers. Wheat breeders are continually developing new varieties
so that farmers can choose wheat seeds suited to their specific production
environment.
Some different variety characteristics include:
• Adaptation to different rainfall regions i.e. low, medium or high
rainfall
• Resistant to particular diseases i.e. rust, Septoria
• Quick growing
• High yielding
• High protein (good protein accumulation)
• Improved grain milling characteristics to suit end-users
5. The Growth Cycle
Planting
Australian wheat is planted in autumn and early winter and grows
during winter and spring. Planting or sowing times depend on region and weather
conditions, but generally begins early in May and ends in July, with most farmers
waiting for a good rain or "break" to the season before starting.
Farming practices have changed considerably over the past twenty years
and the type of machinery and seeding equipment used varies greatly. An
increasing number of farmers now plant their crops using large scale seeding machinery,
with minimum cultivation or ploughing of the soil. This type of seeding is referred
to as minimum tillage. Pulled by large tractors, the seeding equipment creates a
furrow for the seed and fertilizer, which are generally placed in the soil
simultaneously.
Growth
Once planted, the wheat plant grows during winter and spring and needs
rain to ensure high production. The growing process involves a number of stages
(Fig. 3: Wheat plant development scale (modified from Large, 1954) with the wheat plant ripening and ready for harvest around November
and December, depending on the region and type of season.
During the growing period, farmers monitor and manage their crops
closely for signs of malnutrition, pests, disease or weeds to maximize yield
potential.
Harvest
The wheat plant takes approximately five to six months to reach full
maturity and turn a golden colour. At this point, the crop is harvested quickly
to avoid exposure to adverse weather such as rain and hail, which can adversely
impact yield or grain quality. The harvest period in Australia goes from the end
of spring through to the middle of summer. Large and sophisticated harvesters
are used for this job, with the self-propelled machines cutting the heads of
wheat, threshing and sieving the wheat heads to remove and hold the grain while separating the chaff. Once the grain is
separated, it is emptied from the harvester into storage or directly into trucks,
which deliver to a grain receival point. The stubble, i.e. the stalks of the
wheat plant, remains standing in the paddock. It is used for stock feed and as
protection against soil erosion.
Weather Conditions
Weather is a major determinant for final wheat yield and quality. The
plant grows slowly during winter when temperatures are cooler and moves faster
through the growth phase in spring with the warmer weather conditions. All
wheat-growing states experience different climatic conditions and therefore
plant and harvest their crops at slightly different times of the year to
achieve the best yields (Tab. 29).
 |
Tab. 29: Sowing and harvesting periods
|
Irrigated crops (not just wheat) account for about 11% of total crop
production. Irrigation is conducted throughout small pockets of SA, Vic, NSW and
Qld, predominantly in areas located near rivers or channel sources.
إرسال تعليق