CWB Feed Barley Guaranteed Delivery Contract

[charliep]

Should let Zaphod speak but my observation would be the same. Based on the numbers (nothing else), Vancouver/Prince Ruport has been less busy than a year ago. Lots of other factors in play so need to dig deeper.

Also have to look further into the winter. Canadian exports will be down in total so would expect a relatively slow winter export program unless in the supply chain (from farmer to grain company to CWB to accredited exporter) makes a concerted effort to have empty bins this summer.

[Zaphod]

All I'm saying is that the CWB's excuse for not making barley sales has been that the pipeline can't handle it. The numbers however, don't support their complaint. The total export volume of all crops so far this year is 760,000 tonnes less than last year. Clearly, there is capacity to do at least as much as last year, if not more. If we divide the 760,000 tonnes by 12 weeks (as of Oct 21), it means we are 63,000 tonnes a week behind last year, which is about the size of a Panamax barley vessel. But the CWB says they can't make barley sales because the system is all plugged up. What a crock! They need to come up with a better reason why they're not making sales and why signup for FPCs, BPCs and GDCs have been terminated early.