mmg.com.au

Matt Kelly said the dryland canola yield was better than expected after the dry start to the year.

‘‘Last year, we had 33000tonnes of canola and this year, we expect 25000tonnes. But we don’t really know until a quarter or halfway through the harvest,’’ Mr Kelly said.

‘‘We are expecting yields to be a little down because of a cool year.’’

He said it was too early to predict the wheat and barley tonnage and he was hoping for quite a good harvest.

He said investments in machinery — on farms and at Kelly Grains — meant that the harvest could be brought in quickly.

‘‘Growers have upgraded machinery in the last three to four years.’’

Extra machinery will make grain and oilseed unloading and testing quicker at Kelly Grains’ Tocumwal and Finley facilities.

Kelly Grains has added a drive-over hopper and stacker exclusively for canola.

It has also added another grain analyser machine that tests moisture, protein and oil in canola to reduce turnaround times.

Mr Kelly said received canola samples were showing good oil content ranging between 42 per cent and 45 per cent and grain well below the maximum eight per cent moisture level.

Kelly Grains is again in partnership with Australian Bulk Alliance and its Tocumwal ABA is an open-access site, so more than 40 registered grain buyers can post prices there. Growers can access prices for the Tocumwal site online.

‘‘Electric prices mean they can change throughout the day to reflect the market,’’ Mr Kelly said.