Bin turnaround times: CBH says cycle times ‘pleasingly’ low and in line with last year’s 40-minute average

CBH Group has used its latest harvest report to highlight quick turnaround times at its upcountry receival times after some farmers took to social media to complain about delays. The grain handler’s most recent statistics show cycle times were sitting at between 37 and 43 minutes across its five zones this week, with WA’s forecast 14.95 million tonne harvest now about a third of the way through. The figure is in line with last year’s average site cycle time of 40 minutes. It takes into account the time it takes for a farmer or truck driver to arrive, deliver grain, and depart one of CBH’s 150-plus receival sites between Geraldton and Esperance. The fastest cycle time was at CBH’s Kwinana North Zone, which stretches from Regans Ford in the west to Southern Cross in the East, and north to Wubin and south to Mt Walker. The statistics were revealed in CBH Group’s most recent weekly harvest report, released on Monday, November 13. While complaints have been limited on social media this harvest, one grower took to Twitter last week to vent his frustrations at cycle times at CBH Group’s Geraldton Grain Terminal. The grower, who Countryman has opted not to name, deleted the post within 48 hours. “Just imagine for a minute… it’s 2024 and canola takes less than five hours to deliver to a major centre like Geraldton,” he wrote. “Yeah, I know, wild thought, but one day.” CBH chief operations officer Mick Daw said average cycle times across its five zones were “pleasingly” low. “This allows growers to safely and quickly drop their grain off and get back to harvesting,” he said. Tell us what you think or what’s happening at your local CBH site. Email countryman@wanews.com.au AVERAGE ZONE CYCLE TIMES Albany Port Zone: 37.9 minutes Esperance Port Zone: 41 minutes Geraldton Port Zone: 43 minutes Kwinana North Zone: 37 minutes Kwinana South Zone: 40 minutes