Grain starts to flow into CBH's bins

This season's harvest has begun, with the first deliveries of grain starting to trickle into the bins at CBH's storage terminal at Albany port this month.

CBH Albany port zone manager Greg Thornton said the co-operative's grain receival point in Gairdner had received the first grain of the season - 50 tonnes of canola - on October 16.

The first deliveries of grain to the Albany terminal were about 100 tonnes of canola, from the Gairdner site, last Monday.

The start date of the season is in line with last year's, which was delayed slightly after widespread heavy rainfall across the region.

Mr Thornton said rain across the Albany port zone at the weekend would delay harvest for some growers again this year.

However, he said a lack of rainfall in September and October had been an issue this season.

"Our estimate remains around 2.7 million (tonnes) for the Albany zone, which is down on last year's receivals of 3.2 million," he said.

"That is due to a lack of finishing rains in September and October."

The co-operative's revised prediction for yields across the State sits at 13 million tonnes.

Mr Thornton said dry conditions had also affected the quality of some of the 10,000 tonnes of canola, oats and barley the Albany terminal had received in total up to yesterday morning.

"Quality and oil content in canola has been good so far," he said.

"While it is early, we are seeing higher screenings in barley."

Quality is being monitored as harvest ramps up to determine the need to implement additional services and segregations at sites.

Mr Thornton said hail damage to crops in Newdegate and Hyden in the past fortnight had caused "significant" losses for some growers.