Farmer co-op to ramp up imports as fertiliser prices...

Farmer co-op to ramp up imports as fertiliser prices skyrocketBrad ThompsonReporterJun 21, 2021 – 5.00am

Australia’s biggest co-operative, controlled by thousands of farmers, is expanding its import footprint as fertiliser prices skyrocket.CBH is investing $50 million in the import and storage of dry and liquid urea ammonium nitrate fertiliser products at Kwinana, the same industrial hub south of Perth where Wesfarmers has its chemicals, energy and fertiliser base.RELATEDFarmers fight miners for train driversThe west coast grain storage and handling giant started taking on Wesfarmers’ CSBP division and other incumbents in the fertiliser game in 2015, and has been growing its fertiliser business at about 30 per cent year-on-year.Wesfarmers is also facing more competition at Kwinana from Canadian potash giant Nutrien, which is locking in storage capacity as it looks to boost its offering.The CBH and Nutrien moves come as oil and gas junior Strike Energy pushes ambitious plans for a $2.3 billion fertiliser venture at Geraldton on the mid-west coast where CBH has one of its four grain export terminals.

From AFR