WITH 6.37 million tonnes in Viterra's storage and handling system, the 2011 season is virtually complete and expected to fulfil predictions for a 7.6mt South Australian crop.
But while yields have been good, especially considering significant dry spells during the growing months, it will be remembered as a disappointment in terms of prices.
The season has also been a mixed bag for grain quality in some parts of the State.
PIRSA's last crop and pasture report in November estimated the State's crop at 7.6mt, down by 2.7mt, from the 10.3mt record crop in the 2010-11 season. Its next report is due next week.
ABARES December crop report estimated the State's harvest at 7.9mt.
Viterra country operations manager Andrew Hannon said the company's estimates are in line with PIRSA's.
"Things have slowed right down now, but we are still seeing receivals in South East," he said.
"We're also seeing grain coming in off-farm that was reapt earlier and just held over in field bins."
Only 160,000t of grain was received into Viterra's system last week.
"We really want growers to be aware that the sooner they deliver, the greater number of segregations and sites available," Mr Hannon said.
"Growers should check on ezigrain and contact their local business centres for more information."
Mr Hannon said the company was about three weeks ahead of where it was this time last year.
"This season, the week of December 4 was our busiest week, while last season our busiest week was between Christmas and New Year," he said.
Some Viterra sites had already closed, ready for stocks to be put under fumigation to meet the company's shipping program.
"With the shipping program, November was a really good month, we did more than half a million tonnes," Mr Hannon said.
"We're just finalising our December numbers at the moment, but there has been strong shipping demand for grain out of SA."
Mr Hannon said there had been a noticeable improvement in grain quality this year.
"There have been 62 segregations over the harvest period and if you look year-on-year we've had a greater number of segregations of higher quality receivals," he said.
EP Storage's Taragoro site was closed in the week leading up to Christmas, after a lower-than-expected 30,000t of grain was received.
FREE Eyre chief executive officer Mark Rodda said including the 35,000t carry-over from last season, the site now had 65,000t under storage (at Taragoro).
Mr Rodda said the receivals were about two thirds of what the company had originally planned, down to lower-than-expected yields in the eastern EP.
"We received APW, ASW, H2 and GP wheat and feed barley at the site, and the quality was excellent," he said.
"We're just fumigating and cleaning now, waiting for grain to be out-turned."
The three GrainfFlow sites in SA - at Crystal Brook, Mallala and Pinnaroo - received in excess of 330,000t this season.
In its first year of receiving canola, GrainFlow's Pinnaroo site took 15,000t, with the strong result meaning the segregation is set to be available again next season.
While the three sites took only a small amount of feed barley, the wheat received was of very good quality, with APW, ASW, H1 and H2.
Meanwhile, the State Government's Select Committee of Grain Handling is likely to seek an extension on its report to Parliament. The select committee was established to address concerns with the storage and handling system, that arose last harvest.
Chairman Geoff Brock said the committee last met in December and would not be meeting again until February.
"I think Viterra has tried to overcome the concerns from the previous harvest but there is still an issue with non-Viterra marketers appearing to not be able to get grain access into the ports," he said.
"At the moment, the contracts Viterra has with the rail authority in SA makes it harder to get non-Viterra grain to market.
"We need to make sure everyone in the grain industry has equal and easy access."
Mr Brock said a number of issues around road infrastructure also needed to be addressed.
"The committee will be doing analysis in February and I'd encourage people to talk to our members and voice any concerns," he said.
"We will not rush this report and need to make sure all the facts and figures are in there.
"At this stage, when Parliament comes back on February 14 we'll be looking for an extension before our final report to Parliament."
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