Testimonials

Location: “Wirrinun”, Condobolin, NSW
Grains Traded: Wheat and canola
Annual Trading: 5000 tonnes
Marketing Options: Clear Grain Exchange, physical forward contracts, hedging, swaps, cash pool.

Roger and Fabien Todd run a large scale grazing and cropping enterprise 70km North West of Condobolin, New South Wales.

It was the simplicity of Clear Grain Exchange that initially attracted the Todd’s, however it was the exposure to the huge range of buyers and fast payment terms that got them over the line.

“Once we had delivered to GrainCorp, we couldn’t believe that all we had to do to sell our grain on Clear was to register online and then set our price. It was that simple” said Roger.

“Secondly; and what really interested us, was how quick we could get our grain to the market. At the time there was a large shortage of good quality grain in the market and we had a lot of that good quality so Clear was a really quick way for us to put it out there, let a massive broad spectrum of buyers see it and to get a bidding frenzy on it”.

“Obviously the 7 day payment terms are great too. Last year when we came off a few really bad years we were fairly cash poor. Coming into harvest the fast payment Clear provides was really handy to keep things ticking along” continued Roger.

Roger also believes trading on Clear makes life easier and saves him time.

“There are a lot better things I could be doing than being tied to the desk. With Clear I spend less time ringing people – it streamlines things. We went on holiday when it rained last year and I remember the Clear SMS alerts continuously coming through telling us our grain had sold. I thought it was fantastic! Clear advertise in-pocket prices so we knew exactly what we were going to get. We’d set our target prices and the market came to us instead of us going to the market. It all happened when we were on holiday and it was a really good feeling”.

“If you’ve got something the market wants, give Clear a go” said Roger.

Location: “Meatian Park”, Swan Hill, VIC
Grains Traded: Predominately wheat
Annual Trading: Approx. 12000 tonnes
Marketing Options: Clear Grain Exchange, fixed forward contracts, swaps

Geoff Nalder, a large scale grain producer from the Eastern Mallee in Victoria and former VFF Grains President has been a strong supporter of Clear Grain Exchange since its inception.

“Clear Grain Exchange offers producer’s a cost effective marketing option. From my perspective, having the facility and the ability to be able to post prices that you want on a web site that is visible to a multitude of buyers anytime of the day is a really important advancement for producers across Australia post deregulation of the grains market” said Geoff.

Geoff also likes the flexibility Clear provides.

“With the volatility and the extreme price fluctuations in the grains industry; I like the ability to be able to post a percentage of my grain early in the selling season on Clear, with a spread on the price, but most importantly I like the ability to be able to log on at any time of the day or night and make changes to the offers and the tonnage that I’ve got with Clear”.

“It’s also a positive not have to worry about taking too many phone calls and negotiating with buyers on a daily basis as far as trying to get the best price. I’m happy to comment on how Clear gives you a really good price as far as what you’re going to put into your bank. It’s very transparent”.

The automatic disbursement of all regulatory obligations (including levies) is another significant benefit for Geoff.

“If you’re fair dinkum about wanting to have a strong and viable grain research and development corporation or seed provider, then you need to pay your end point royalty. Clear automatically disburse all regulatory obligations plus other relevant costs when your grain is sold so you know exactly what your in-pocket price will be. It is one less thing growers need to worry about and a significant benefit for the whole industry”.

Geoff traded a large percentage of his grain on Clear last season and the system will be high on his agenda this coming harvest.

“We have successfully traded a lot of grain on Clear continue to adjust our prices daily or almost daily. So far I’ve been happy with the outcome and the payment terms are exceptional”.

“The Clear concept has a lot of merit and it’s a marketing option that I believe every grain producer should familiarise themselves with. For those who have not yet chosen to go down the Clear path then I think they should”.

“Clear is a really viable and valid option for producers who want to be in control of their own destiny” said Geoff.

Location: “Kelinda”, Moura, QLD
Grains Traded: Wheat
Annual Trading: Approx. 1000 tonnes
Marketing Options: Clear Grain Exchange

Irene Fraser performs the important role of marketing her family’s grain which is produced at “Kelinda”, 14kms north of Moura in central Queensland.

Irene has never looked back since first integrating the Clear Grain Exchange system into her grain marketing strategy last season.

“I was looking for new avenues to sell our grain - I wanted better prices. It was really difficult to market your grain post deregulation and farmers don’t have a lot of time to sit around so when I came across Clear I was thrilled”.

“I had no problems selling the majority of our 2010/11 harvest on Clear; we got better prices straight up and this year I think I’ll offer the whole lot. It is the easiest way to sell grain that’s for sure” said Irene.

“The people at Clear are really helpful and it’s so easy to set up. An account is automatically generated when you deliver to GrainCorp so all you need to do is activate it. It costs you nothing to set your price and when a bid matches your offer a contract is automatically generated so all the paper work is done for you. I think the hardest part is making sure you set the right price”.

“Having said that, if there is a bid that is close to your offer Clear will let you know so you can change your offer to meet the market. And if you need help or you aren't able to get to a computer you can just call the Clear Help Desk and they will do it for you. The communication is great” continued Irene.

Irene also appreciates the prompt payment Clear provides growers.

“The transparency Clear provides and the 7 day payment terms are great. You know exactly what you’re going to get in pocket and that’s a big bonus”.

Because of the success Irene has had selling her grain on Clear, many other growers have been convinced to try the Clear system.

“I’ve told many friends and associates about the benefits of Clear. It is just so quick and with the market information they provide grain marketing has never been easier” commented Irene.

Location: “Port Pirie”, South Australia
Grains Traded: Wheat and barley
Marketing Options: Clear Grain Exchange, cash options, multi grade contracts, pools

Kingslee Stanley farms a large scale cropping operation near Port Pirie, South Australia.

Clear Grain Exchange appealed to Kingslee because of the quick 7 day payment terms and its simplicity. Due to these benefits, Kingslee increased the percentage of grain traded with Clear Grain Exchange and has traded every year since.

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist but once you know the system it’s so easy. There aren’t even contracts to sign and if there is a big price spike in the market, Clear always notify me which is really helpful. I like to spread my risk and Clear Grain Exchange is certainly a great option for me” said Kingslee.

Being in control of his grain price is also important to Kingslee.

“As long as you set the right price, you’ll always be right. The entire process is transparent and flexible and you can manage it all by yourself. If I do come across any issues I know the Clear Grain Exchange help desk is just a phone call away” continued Kingslee.