T-PORTS is expanding and upgrading its grain exporting infrastructure on the Eyre Peninsula.

The company is building a bunker site at the Eyre Premium Hay premises east of Kimba. It is to be completed in time for this year’s harvest. The bulk freight specialist is also expanding capacity at its site at Lock.

The T-Ports facility at Kimba will consist of four bunkers with a total storage capacity of more than 70,000 tonnes.

Grain intake will be via high-capacity drive-over hopper stackers and existing IT systems will be in place to ensure seamless receival data capture. T-Ports will use the site’s existing weighbridge and partial roadways.

At Lock, a new 300-metre long bunker and an additional DOH stacker access road will be built, while an existing 150-metre bunker will be upgraded, in time for the upcoming harvest.

Both sites, as well as the bunker site at Lucky Bay, will receive the major wheat and barley grades, with active binning in place to capture additional value.

T-Ports chief executive officer Kieran Carvill said growers at both Kimba and Lock have been strong supporters of the company’s grain supply chain, as have many others across the Eyre Peninsula.

“Given current harvest predictions, we’re now able to offer an alternative storage option for this part of the catchment zone,” he said.

“While upper EP growers have had the opportunity to deliver direct to our port at Lucky Bay since it opened in 2019, the Kimba site will give them a delivery option much closer to home so they can move tonnes from the paddock more efficiently and cost-effectively at the peak of the harvest.”

Mr Carvill said the bunker sites at Lock and Lucky Bay began operations for harvest in 2019.

“We’re keen to ensure growers keep maximising their profits through ongoing competition and lower costs,” he said.

“We expect growers from around Kimba, Buckleboo, Darke Peak and nearby to notice significant benefits, particularly given we’re expecting an above-average crop this year, based on current estimates.”

Mr Carvill said T-Ports is in partnership with Eyre Premium Hay, a local company.

Eyre Premium Hay principal and grain grower Matthew Vandeleur said the new T-Ports’ facility at Kimba would provide multiple benefits for growers on upper EP.

“It means we can reduce paddock pressure at harvest time, increase usage of our own assets and considerably lift our bottom-line profits,” he said.

“Having the option to deliver to Kimba means we can better utilise our labour on-farm and reduce our weather risk.”