Biosecurity risk top of growers' wheat import concerns

RELATED: More wheat shipments on their way

James Venning, Bute, says as a net exporter of goods it is difficult for Australia to argue against allowing wheat imports but he would like to see greater transparency in the logistics of the shipments.

"We are exporting grain and we want a level playing field for our grain overseas so we can't jump up and down wanting special treatment when it is convenient for us," he said.

"There has been a lot of confidentiality around this and with confidentiality comes scepticism - if the process was transparent there could be a lot more (industry) minds looking at the potential risks, rather than just the Ag Minister and her department who are only as good as their advisers."

Mr Venning says a commercial company such as the Manildra Group should be entitled to pursue any deal, as long as there isn't a case against it, but multiple shipments "opens the floodgates" for potential biosecurity breaches.

"If it starts happening all the time it will only be a matter of time before a grain borer or the like comes in," he said.

"It won't happen in the first truckload when everyone will be watching but once they have loaded another 10,000 truckloads - all it takes is one truck of Canadian wheat not to be cleaned out properly and then fertiliser delivered."

Pinnaroo cropper Corey Blacksell believes any company wanting to import wheat should have to prove a business case that they are unable to access the same grade in Australia.

But says if they can "tick off" biosecurity requirements, he doesn't have a problem as long as it isn't a long-term strategy.

"It would be a very expensive exercise for an importer, with all Australia's supply chains set on out turning grain at the port, not designed to inload grain," he said.

"The lead-in time would have been months too, and in Australia at the beginning of harvest prices were $400 a tonne even though by the end it was $310/t to $320/t in the eastern market, so I don't think it is about importing cheap grain."

He says there has been plenty of "emotional debate" among growers but can see it from the Manildra Group's perspective wanting to meet its orders and maintain its intellectual property and staff.

Mr Blacksell says ironically since the import announcement, ASX east coast wheat prices have risen more than $45/t, but this pricing has been driven more by adverse weather in the United States than any supply shortage concerns.