Big grain demand

Australian grain growers will be producing 2.25 million metric tonnes more grain than needed for export by 2030, according to the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre.

The centre’s chief economist Professor Ross Kingwell said the leftover grain would be pumped into the domestic market, largely to buy as animal feed.

He said in just over 10 years, Australia’s population was expected to reach 30 million, leading to a greater demand for domestic grain.

“And with 75 per cent of Australia’s consumers currently living in eastern Australia, almost all the extra grain produced in the Eastern States will be consumed there,” he said. “Most of this (extra grain) will come from the less populous States of Western Australia and South Australia.

“Export demand in key international grain markets is projected to increase, so we expect the extra grain will find a home.”

The expected boost in grain production is about 11 per cent more than the trend production in 2017.