Slow grain movement

[Against_the_grain]

Is anyone else struggling like crazy to get lorries this year?
Despite 1500t of wheat cut and sold for harvest movement we have had 1 lorry move 29t of grain...might get a couple tomorrow otherwise its middle if next week.

Still have harvest movement osr in the shed which they cant move. Looking at parking the combine up as we are about 1/2 day of running put of room. A good problem to have but seems merchants have been promising things they cant manage.

It's not like they knew they would require a lot of trucks in July/August ffs

 

[Clive]

Where do you expect hauliers magic up more trucks and drivers from for one month a year ?

 

[B R C]

Yes, but are the buyers being disingenuous if they buy with the knowledge they won’t actually do what they promise. They’ve moved one load out of 50 promised....pretty poor imo

 

[Jo28]

Where do you expect hauliers magic up more trucks and drivers from for one month a year ?

Having said that, they should not buy so much harvest movement at a cheaper price if they can't move it.

 

[Widgetone]

Not so good if you have to stop combining with the forecast as it is though - only consolation is your're in Essex, not in the really wet places

 

[teslacoils]

So you're not struggling to get lorries - your merchant is struggling. Someone else's problem has become your problem.

 

[B'o'B]

So you're not struggling to get lorries - your merchant is struggling. Someone else's problem has become your problem.

They could get lorries if they really wanted too, but it would cost them their margin.

 

[teslacoils]

They could get lorries if they really wanted too, but it would cost them their margin.

Somebody ought tell them there is no guaranteed margin in business.

 

[bobk]

Where do you expect hauliers magic up more trucks and drivers from for one month a year ?

Yes , and so would you if you'd sold it .

 

[Baling Hay]

Is anyone else struggling like crazy to get lorries this year?
Despite 1500t of wheat cut and sold for harvest movement we have had 1 lorry move 29t of grain...might get a couple tomorrow otherwise its middle if next week.

Still have harvest movement osr in the shed which they cant move. Looking at parking the combine up as we are about 1/2 day of running put of room. A good problem to have but seems merchants have been promising things they cant manage.

It's not like they knew they would require a lot of trucks in July/August ffs

Not just truck issues on OSR, ADM crush taking imports means they are rammed full of August OSR and merchants can't get fixings from them.

 

[Against_the_grain]

Where do you expect hauliers magic up more trucks and drivers from for one month a year ?

Why say they will collect when they cant. Never had this problem before. If they know they have a busy month why not contract the lorries?
It will cost a couple some business for the next few years.

So you're not struggling to get lorries - your merchant is struggling. Someone else's problem has become your problem.

Isnt that just farming though!

I suppose in fairness there are 2 facotrs at play here that we havent seen before combined.
A large harvest. No doubt. Farmers looking to shift more to create space.
Brexit on 31st October. Who knows what the situation with tariffs will be. Perhaps more farmers selling before then to avoid potential issues? (merchants should of factored this in though)

 

[Clive]

Why say they will collect when they cant. Never had this problem before. If they know they have a busy month why not contract the lorries?
It will cost a couple some business for the next few years.


Isnt that just farming though!

I suppose in fairness there are 2 facotrs at play here that we havent seen before combined.
A large harvest. No doubt. Farmers looking to shift more to create space.
Brexit on 31st October. Who knows what the situation with tariffs will be. Perhaps more farmers selling before then to avoid potential issues? (merchants should of factored this in though)

There is not a unlimited supply of truck and drivers to suddenly draft in for 1 month a year - ag haulage pays well below other haulage so you we are getting the service level we pay for I guess

 

[Clive]

Yes , and so would you if you'd sold it .

Having run a grain haulage company I'm realistic enough to know that the amount of trucks and drivers you can find work for 11moths a year is very different to how many you could do through august

Hauliers are running business not a public service

 

[Against_the_grain]

There is not a unlimited supply of truck and drivers to suddenly draft in for 1 month a year - ag haulage pays well below other haulage so you we are getting the service level we pay for I guess

This hasnt been a problem before though. Is it something we are going to see more of now hauliers would prefer to haul aggregates rather than grains? Im curious why this year its taking 14days to move grain where in previous years its been 2-5days.
I heard today that camgrain are not guaranteeing movement for 7 days?! Imagine that! You dont have a grainstore because thats your business model and you have brought into camgrain and then they turn around and tell you they cant move it for a week!
Maybe a case for hiring a truck for the summer.....but then drivers....

 

[Brisel]

This is the second harvest in a row that the hauliers have struggled. Fair enough last year - harvest was unexpectedly early and they never caught up properly. There just aren't the drivers out there for bulk haulage. The rates are going down despite rising fuel costs & a lot of the older generation just don't want the hassle of keeping up the ever increasing requirements for training and medicals.

 

[Norfolk Olly]

We are struggling to get much shifted, currently have 400 ton tipped on a beet pads with 1100 in stores waitingfor onions to go in, had 3 loads today which isnt really any good when your cutting 60-70 tons per hour

 

[Baling Hay]

Expect the problem to get much worse with record yielding crops and severe under investment in port and mill facilities.

The grain merchandising business has been severely unsustainable for a long time with merchants fighting over every tonne to the point were they aren't covering their costs. Now with record crops to ship and with added pressure of getting as much tonnage shifted before Brexit, the house of cards will collapse.

 

[Heathland]

A few weeks ago when loading a lorry "out of hours" the lorry driver was quite shocked,
Its not a problem for me here.
Normally I get short thrift, I told where to go,said the trucker
amazingly come harvest I'm everyone best friend,and they will load me at anytime.

Think on guys we all need to make a living and truckers keep this country moving,so in the winter when a lorry needs loading early morning or late afternoon,load him or her
Not sorry but the gate is closed at half 4 and won't open till half 7 in the morning.

 

[Derky]

This hasnt been a problem before though. Is it something we are going to see more of now hauliers would prefer to haul aggregates rather than grains? Im curious why this year its taking 14days to move grain where in previous years its been 2-5days.
I heard today that camgrain are not guaranteeing movement for 7 days?! Imagine that! You dont have a grainstore because thats your business model and you have brought into camgrain and then they turn around and tell you they cant move it for a week!
Maybe a case for hiring a truck for the summer.....but then drivers....

The rates on bulk especially grain have not gone up. Lorries, maintenance, tyres, wages all gone up so there is no margin in the job. They is a large of hauliers that have packed up. Unless we see an increase in rates, we will have to look closely at whether we renew trucks going forward.

 

[Chae1]

Sounds similar to farming.