eNews 23 July 2019 - Port Tour Outcomes
FROM THE DESK OF CHDC'S AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
This Agribusiness eNews focusses on the outcomes from the recent 2019 From Paddock to Port Tour with a clear message that collaboration and communication is critical, and that the agribusiness supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link!
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and CHDC have collaborated again to deliver the 2019 From Paddock to Port Tour which ran from 1 to 4 July.
Participants visited three Northern and Central Queensland Ports: the Port of Townsville (POT), Port of Mackay (North Queensland Bulk Ports - NQBP) and Gladstone Port Corporation (GPC).
The tour forms part of the DAF/CHDC Collaborative Agreement which delivers a range of programs to help develop agribusiness capability in the Central Highlands, improve supply chains, and to investigate and support exporting as part of individual agribusiness's growth strategy.
The tour group included individuals from the logistic and freight sector, primary producers, agribusiness, local government, the university sector and representatives from the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Producers attended from as far south as Roma, and joined attendees from Toowoomba, Brisbane, Rolleston, Springsure, Emerald, Duaringa and Biloela.
The 2019 Tour was jointly lead by myself and Alicia Dunbar, DAF Industry Development Officer (RED) Central Region. This is the second tour through the ports and feedback from participants and hosts was that the tour built and expanded on the success of last year's event. One participant has already negotiated significant contacts that will see product transiting through Gladstone Port.
The overall goal of the tour was for participants to gain insights from key supply chain personnel from Central and Northern Ports; expand individual and the region's networks; and to connect people growing, processing, freighting and exporting products from our regions.
Participants heard relevant updates on grains and vegetable exports, gained insights into port infrastructure and development plans, as well as freight and logistics and challenges faced by councils, producers and road users.
At each of the three ports, local producers and agribusinesses were invited to join the group for the individual day component; CHDC thanks DAF RED team members Helen Newell and Hayley Eames (Central Region) and Peter Elliot (North Region) for their assistance in coordinating the local content.
Townsville Highlights
• Presentation on Growing Queensland's Food Exports from Jodie Campbell and Elio Jovicich, DAF
• Horticulture in the North and the opportunities to collaborate from Peter Elliot, DAF
• Tour of Harbourside Coldstores, an excellent facility which is assisting horticulture to develop opportunities for exporting from as far away as Bowen
• Growing the North projects and opportunities to utilise Port of Townsville's container services
• Presentation on Port of Townsville; container services; and port expansion: Maria James, Port of Townsville, Manager Trade Development
• Q & A Session - growing agricultural exports from Port of Townsville: Logistic Service Providers; including stevedores; container shipping lines and cold store facilities.
Mackay Highlights
• NQBP update focussed on heavy industry and sugarcane, with significant investment in road upgrades providing better port access, however, additional infrastructure works and investment are required to secure road connectivity. This would facilitate uninterrupted heavy vehicle usage for freighted product from west of the Nebo Range to Port.
• Tour of GrainCorp facilities with Brad Foster, Queensland Regional Manager, and Jeff Moodie, Terminal Manager Central Queensland
• For both Mackay and Gladstone, GrainCorp described the savings for customers driven by the change of train freight provider Aurizon to Watco at 1 December 2019 which they are guaranteeing at $5/tonne of grain but may be as much as $8 and $10. In addition, new purpose-built wagons replace the converted-coal wagons improving quality and reducing leakage.
• Tour of Sugar Terminal Ltd's raw sugar storage and handling facilities lead by John Warda, CEO of Sugar Terminal Ltd Tour of Port of Mackay; Paul Coomer, Commercial Manager - Mackay NQBP detailing expansion and growth in the region
• Presentation from GW3 (Greater Whitsunday Alliance of Councils - Mackay, Whitsundays and Isaac) by CEO Garry Scanlan highlighting a CRC Northern Australia project to better understand capability of Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday region and growth opportunities.
Gladstone Highlights
• Tour of whole of harbour facilities from the water and information on growth plans currently underway.
• Presentation and panel discussions from all members of the supply chain highlighting the need for collaboration to identify and advocate for last-mile road infrastructure solutions to grow exports from Gladstone and reduce costs for primary producers and agribusiness.
• An update on progress from Central Queensland Inland Port (Yamala) with insight into staged developments, some great video footage on the progressing works, and innovative future-focused solutions to power and digital connectivity needs.
• Tour of Graincorp's Gladstone terminal and demonstration of container grain loading giving participants an understanding of grain bulk and containerisation exports capability from out of Gladstone.
• Overview of current and coming international grain and pulse requirements from Graincorp's new India Desk lead, Ratna Sahni.
• Discussion with Gladstone Port Corporation and first view of outcomes from a study undertaken to improve access into the Gladstone Port, currently in Draft and waiting final review.
• Greg Condon, Linfox Regional Manager - Southern and Central Queensland, explained their vision for agribusiness freight and logistics in Queensland since acquiring Pacific National.
It was a content-packed trip and we are very grateful to all of the Ports for the incredible support and unrivalled access they provide all our participants. Copies of all of the powerpoint presentations from each location are being progressively loaded to the CHDC website where you can view them here.
The tour provided an excellent opportunity to build on last year's learnings and outcomes and facilitated new levels of supply chain connectivity. Participants identified road and supply chain pinch points and gained knowledge of current shipping services and infrastructure, as well as future investment which will create opportunities for Central Queensland producers and agribusiness to look for opportunities across a range of diverse markets.
DAF and CHDC plan to build on this tour through supporting a Containerised Grain Pilot program over the next twelve months. If you are interested in knowing more, or perhaps in participating, please contact either Alicia or myself directly. CHDC will continue to work with our partners to deliver whole of region solutions.
The From Paddock to Port Tour is a significant project of the Central Highlands Accelerate Agribusiness (CHAA) Initiative of CHDC in partnership with DAF. CHDC thanks and recognises our sponsors for the 2019 Tour: the Grains Research & Development Corporation, Advance Queensland, Central Highlands Regional Council, CQ Inland Port, GrainCorp, NQBP (Mackay) and Lowes Petroleum. CHDC and DAF also thank the Gladstone Ports Corporation and the Port of Townsville for their significant in-kind support.
Contact Liz Alexander E: ealexander@chdc.com.au or M: 0429 471 511 or Alicia Dunbar, DAF Industry Development Officer E: Alicia.Dunbar@daf.qld.gov.au or M: 0436 673 154 for more information.
The DAF and CHDC 2019 From Paddock to Port Tour group pictured in front of the NQBP Mackay facilities.