CBH Board on tour - day eight by Trevor Badger

Today we visited Wilmar, China's biggest oilseed crusher with approximately half the capacity devoted to canola and soybeans respectively.The end oil product of canola crushing is the Wilmar brand Arowana (recognisable by the famous cat fish icon) is the worlds best selling canola oil and it is a multiple award winner worldwide.

We traveled to the crushing plant and had a look at the dedicated port. We watched one of their coaster barges unloading canola with a grab at 300 tonne per hour. Barges were stacked four deep and three long waiting to discharge. This port has a draft of 4.5 metres, so can't take any ocean going vessels, a minor constraint when they unload the equivalent of a Panamax every fortnight.

Due to renovations we were unable to meet in their offices so were bussed off to a nearby hotel.

Wilmar are old friends of CBH with the first trade occurring in 1960 with a cargo of wheat to the Federal Flour Mill in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Of greater significance was China's first ever import of canola in 1999 which CBH supplied and Wilmar crushed. The relationship has gone from strength to strength and is of immense value to our members.

Customarily after the walk and presentations our gracious hosts we had a delicious lunch of Chinese and local delicacies.