Australian farmers eye expansion after success with direct wheat export to Oman

Two Australian grain farmers are preparing to send a second shipment of wheat direct from farms to consumers in the Middle East following a successful trial earlier this year.

West Australian farmer Barry Large and his Victorian-based counterpart Andrew Weidemann formed LW Investments several years ago with the aim of selling wheat directly from their farms to consumers in the Sultanate of Oman.

The majority of grain exported from Australia goes through a third party.

Earlier this year the pair sent a 35,000 tonne shipment of wheat from Mr Weidemann’s farm and from growers from Victoria.

It was trucked directly from farm to port at Geelong before being shipped to Oman and Mr Large said a similar strategy would be used for the second shipment.

“We will put together another shipment of about 35,000 tonnes,” he said.

“It’s been baby steps … it’s a market that we have been able to establish a great relationship with and we are just going on quietly trying to supply them what they need.”

The grain produced at Mr Weidemann’s Rupanyup farm is key to the pair’s export concept.

Mr Large grows wheat and other cereals at Miling in WA, but he said difficulties accessing an export berth in WA so far meant he had been unable to export any grain to the Oman flour miller.

WA is closer geographically to the Middle East and WA grain is viewed globally as well-suited for flour milling.

“Hopefully along the line we will find a berth where we can pull in and we can load some wheat, and [I] can put some wheat on the boat, because that is what it’s all about — we are trying to market our own wheat,” Mr Large said.

He said consumers in Oman were eager to learn more about Australian farming systems and valued supply chain traceability.

“They are very keen to start relationships with growers … it is a learning curve for all of us, but it is good, understanding and producing something that they want,” Mr Large said.

He did not believe Oman would become a “million-tonne market”, but said there was the potential for exports to exceed 35,000 tonnes a year.

Mr Large said he and Mr Weidemann were closely monitoring the conflict in Gaza and its potential impact on their plans.

Tags: Australia, export, grain, wheat, Middle East, shipment, Sultanate of Oman