2023-24 Harvest Updates, page-124

GNC is a major arranger of bulk shipping in Australia. Using old fashioned language, it has a finger in many pies.

While loading dates are subject to alteration, its shipping stem suggests in April 2024, 50,000 tonnes of GNC-handled wheat will be loaded from 'HC' contributor Portsmouth's local terminal of Port Kembla NSW.

From Geelong in Victoria, 30,000 tonnes of 'GNC wheat' should weigh down the hold of a bulk ship while at Portland further west in the same state, 70,000 tonnes of wheat could be dispatched on to southern oceans.

In May 2024, 50,000 tonnes of GNC-handled sorghum should be loaded onto ships at each of Gladstone and Mackay in sunny Queensland, while Portland (Vic.) will load a forecast 40,000 wheat tonnes. In June, 23,000 tonnes of sorghum from Gladstone and 36,500 tonnes of the same through Mackay should keep equipment busy while way south at Portland (Vic.), another 70,000 tonnes of wheat should be placed onto bulk ships as further GNC 'cargo'.

From western and northwestern Victoria to Geelong on the odd mix of broad and standard gauge rail lines, there've been 12 grain trains arrive in less than 120 hours (i.e. slightly under five days). At least one was for competitor Cargill but if we surmise a conservative eight per cent were for GNC, that's at least 320 rail wagons delivering various grains to GNC's (North) Geelong Grain Loop as the railways name it.

In a few weeks, there's every chance GNC will state it's doing well, even if over time in some activities it may continue to lose market share.