WHILE the pace of grain deliveries may have slowed over the past week, CBH Group still received an additional 580,000 tonnes, bringing the record-breaking crop total to 21 million tonnes as of Monday morning.
Many growers have finished harvest and more sites have closed for the season, however CBH acting chief operations officer Mick Daw acknowledged that there was still more grain still to be delivered, especially in the Albany zone.
"Congratulations to all of the growers who have finished harvest," Mr Daw said.
"We have faced many challenges this year from natural disasters, to labour and skill shortages, COVID-19 related restrictions and everything else in-between.
"However, one of the greatest surprises for CBH and our grower members has been this year's record harvest, of which we have received a staggering 21mt to date."
Bringing in a crop of that size was not without its challenges, with preparing the supply chain and network to receive, handle and outload the bumper crop a key focus for the co-operative.
For the 2021/22 season, CBH built and added 2.3mt of emergency storage at 33 sites in the network, which is 10 per cent of its total storage capacity, mobilised and operational within months.
"While there could be another 400,000t to be delivered, we are staying focused on getting the remaining crop in safely and efficiently, cleaning up sites and transitioning to out-loading," Mr Daw said.
"I would like to thank and congratulate our grower members for their hard work and patience and thank our employees and contractors for their massive effort in helping us safely receive this bumper crop.
"That includes contractors building emergency storages, tarping contractors for their tireless work covering stacks and building emergency bulkheads and the CBH team - it has been an amazing effort from everyone."
Any changes to COVID-19 procedure will be communicated through the CDF app, as will changes on the availability of services, including permanent closures.
Albany zone
The Albany zone received 210,000t last week, taking the zone total to 4.25mt as of Monday morning.
There are estimated to be about 200,000t still to come in.
Most primary sites remain open - Cranbrook and Mirambeena will be the last country sites to close, while Albany Grain Terminal will continue to receive late deliveries of most grains.
Esperance zone
The Esperance zone total was sitting at 3.55mt on Monday morning, after 75,000t were delivered last week.
A handful of sites remain open for growers to deliver final tonnages.
Onfarm silo bags are coming in at a steady pace with a high number still to come in from around the zone to the port or receival sites that are open.
Key highlights of the season included eight out of 13 sites breaking daily receival records, 10 out of 13 sites having their best ever season and almost 700,000t shipped from the zone for October to December.
Geraldton zone
While the Geraldton zone has had some last minute tonnes trickling in, harvest in the area is all but finished.
The 60,000t delivered last week took the zone total to 3.9mt.
The season saw many sites break all time receival and daily receival records, but the most considerable of note was Mingenew receiving 643,460t - an all time country receival record outside of the four ports.
Kwinana North zone
The Kwinana North zone received 130,000t last week to bring its total to 5.1mt as of Monday morning.
With less than 50,000t estimated to be delivered, most sites will close at the end of the week and only five or six are likely to remain open.
Kwinana South Zone
The Kwinana South zone has received a total of 4.2mt so far, with 105,000t received in the past week.
Daily receivals were declining quickly with less than 50,000t expected to be delivered to the 10 sites remaining open across the zone.
