Port grain deals offer CBH alternatives

INDEPENDENT grain marketer Plum Grove Logistics has signed a three-year Port Access Service Agreement with Mid West Ports Authority, making it the latest independent grain marketer to do deals with West Australian ports.

The official MWPA media release confirms the agreement will allow Plum Grove to export up to 600,000 tonnes of grain via Berth 6 at the Port of Geraldton, operating under strict environmental and operational controls.

MWPA chief executive Damian Tully said the arrangement would “supplement CBH’s traditional export activities” and expand the region’s capacity to reach international markets.

Plum Grove chief executive Andrew Young said the model supported smaller freight tasks and gave growers confidence to increase production and diversify export options, following a successful trial shipment earlier in the year.

Plum Grove’s Geraldton operations are also supported by an ACCC determination, which granted the company exempt service provider status under the Port Terminal Access (Bulk Wheat) Code. The exemption reduces regulatory burden while maintaining transparency obligations for terminal services at Geraldton.

Major exporter CBH Group has responded to the development, telling the ABC it was aware of the Plum Grove shipment and emphasising its focus on out‑loading last season’s crop and maintaining service levels for customers. The cooperative did not raise objections to Plum Grove’s operations.

While CBH remains WA’s dominant bulk‑grain handler, several ports now host additional or emerging exporters, reflecting a broader shift toward flexible, mobile‑loader export models:

At Albany Port Commodity Ag has been operating mobile‑loader grain exports from the port’s common‑user berth.

Activity has increased over the past two seasons, providing growers with an alternative pathway alongside CBH’s traditional terminal operations.

At Bunbury Port Qube has been developing mobile‑loader capability and has publicly indicated interest in expanding grain export operations.

Bunbury’s common‑user berths have been used intermittently for non‑CBH grain shipments.

Geraldton Port has seen multiple trial shipments from non‑CBH operators during the past 18 months.

While CBH remains the primary exporter at the Port of Esperance, Southern Ports has confirmed interest from smaller operators exploring mobile‑loader options.

Berth remediation works are expected to support future diversification.

CBH remains the sole bulk‑grain exporter at Kwinana’s dedicated terminal.

The emergence of Plum Grove, Commodity Ag, and Qube reflects a broader trend across WA’s grain industry with Increased on‑farm storage, mobile ship‑loading technology, and demand for flexible export pathways during high‑production seasons.

These developments are creating new opportunities for smaller marketers and providing growers with additional options beyond CBH’s network, particularly in regional ports with common‑user infrastructure.