As Western Australian growers power through the 2024 harvest, the Grain Industry of Western Australia’s (GIWA) Pulse Council encourages pulse growers to implement good storage practices on farm to maximise market potential.
Alan Meldrum, GIWA Pulse Council Deputy Chair and former Pulse Australia Development Officer for WA, said the work of storing pulses well pays off when taking advantage of high price points post-harvest.
“WA’s production of pulse grains, including lupins, lentils, chickpeas, field peas and faba beans, has been steadily on the increase as growers look to diversify their planting and marketing strategies,” Alan said.
“The issue for most pulse growers is that buyers will demand pulse grain to match requirements throughout the year, principally this is linked to the availability of the importing country’s new domestic crop and with religious festivals.
“With the exception of lupins, which are accepted into the bulk handling network, this results in pulse grain being stored on farm for a relatively unknown period.
While all grain growers know storing grain to maintain quality is imperative, it is a non-negotiable with pulse grain given it goes directly, generally untreated, to the final consumer.
“Customers are looking for good visual appeal of pulse grain, and this can be where many growers come unstuck.
“Maintaining the condition of the grain is vital before it’s sold,” Alan said.
The majority of pulse grain is exported via the container trade and GIWA encourages pulse growers to connect with those buyers directly so that buyers can understand the growers’ preferences, including:
- The type of pulse a grower has and the quantities available. Buyers may require samples.
- How soon a grower may need to sell, and the price being sought. Growers may need to factor in how soon they need the pulses out of their silos to free up that storage.
- How quickly grain can get to a buyer. Growers may have limited notice of a sale, so understanding delivery logistics and communicating constraints is important.
Growers selling pulses can visit GIWA’s members webpage https://www.giwa.org.au/about-us/current-members/ and follow the links to locate WA based pulse traders. They can also find more information regarding grain storage https://storedgrain.com.au/information-hub/
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
Amanda Collett, GIWA Marketing and Communications Manager
0402 838 059
[email protected]
