THE potential within the 2016 cropping season has encouraged SA grain handler Viterra to increase its storages a further 500,000 tonnes to manage the upcoming harvest.
“Viterra will build new bunkers as well as upgrade existing bunker storage as part of its ongoing investment in its operations to meet the needs of growers during the critical harvest period,” Viterra Operations general manager Tim Krause said.
In recent consultation with Strategic Site Committee chairs and growers, Viterra has determined that new bunkers will be needed at Wudinna, Lock, Rudall, Arno Bay, Wallaroo and Pinnaroo sites, with the work undertaken by local contractors.
“We are also assessing options for the construction of new bunkers at Thevenard, Tumby Bay, and Port Giles,” Mr Krause said.
"These bunkers are in addition to the new bunkers built at Lock, Rudall, Arno Bay and Crystal Brook last year, which will be upgraded from temporary bunkers to permanent storage.”
Mr Krause said the Viterra would also triple its workforce at harvest time.
“We are recruiting for more than 1600 casual workers and have a number of permanent positions available in regional SA,” he said.
And the hits just keep on coming, with most cropping areas of the state receiving reasonable rainfall in the past week.
Tallies ranged from 5 millimetres to 10mm on Eyre and Yorke peninsulas, to 15-25mm in the County Light, Adelaide Plains and Mallee, while some areas of the South East had double that.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Lucindale recorded 69mm and Naracoorte 57mm to be the wettest areas, with waterlogging causing concern for crops in those parts.
More rain is expected this weekend.
The continuing wet weather prompted PIRSA this week to warn chickpea croppers to preventatively spray for ascochyta blight.
The disease is most prevalent when cool, cloudy and humid weather occurs during the crop season.
SARDI principal research scientist Jenny Davidson said ascochyta blight had been observed in recent weeks in crops across the lower north, mid north and Yorke Peninsula regions.
“Monitor chickpea crops, even previously resistant varieties, closely for ascochyta blight as the disease can take hold quickly,” she said.
"Our advice to growers is simple, get out there and spray your crops. Apply a preventative fungicide spray early ahead of rain events.”
As to the rest of the state, canola and pulses are either out or beginning to be in flower, while cereals are out in head.