Australia: Flagship malting barley growers to receive pools premium from ABB

In an effort to maintain grain value for both growers and customers following recent adverse weather in South Australia, ABB Grain will be paying a premium for Flagship malting barley and creating a Flagship Special grade, ABB announced in a press release, November 8.

Managing director, Michael Iwaniw, said ABB was placing a $10/tonne premium on Flagship delivered into its harvest pools this season.

“Maltsters view Flagship as a very desirable variety and they’re keen to evaluate as much of this malting barley this harvest as they can,” Mr Iwaniw said.

“The premium will be on ABB’s normal malting barley gross pool returns and will apply to both Flagship malting 1 grade and Flagship no retention grades.”

And in response to off specification grain received after recent wet weather in South Australia, ABB has announced the creation this harvest of a Flagship Special grade.

Flagship Special, when delivered from today into ABB’s harvest pools, will have an estimated $10/tonne premium over current feed barley quoted pool prices.

Mr Iwaniw said deliveries of Flagship would be closely monitored to assess its usefulness as a malting barley in line with ABB’s customers’ specifications.

“If we use all of the Flagship Special delivered into this segregation for malting we will return additional money to growers,” he said. “This philosophy has been used with special grades in the past.”

1. Flagship 1, Protein 9% to 12%, screenings 7%. Nil shot grain, - $385-$395

2. Flagship – No Retention, Protein 9% to 12%. Screenings 7%. Nil shot grain, - $375-$385

3. Flagship Special, protein 9% to 12%, maximum shot grain – 15%. No retention, - $305-$325

Six sites have so far been chosen to receive Flagship Special and these are: Gulnare, Wirrabara, Port Pirie, Port Adelaide, Ardrossan and Wallaroo.

All of ABB’s pool payment options will be available to growers of Flagship.

09 November, 2007