Newsroom
2005
CWB to wrap up successful Churchill program with final grain shipment
October 27, 2005
Winnipeg - The CWB expects its final cargo at the Port of Churchill to load this week, bringing total shipments of wheat and durum for the 2005 shipping season to approximately 353 000 tonnes.
"We are pleased to be able to effectively utilize this port once again, especially given the reduced grade pattern for grain, resulting from rain and frost over the past two growing seasons," said CWB president and CEO Adrian Measner. He added that CWB wheat and durum exports through Churchill this season are close to the 10-year average.
"This was a special challenge given that the northerly growing regions - which represent the primary catchment area for shipments from Churchill - were particularly hard hit by the weather."
The last ship of 2005 will be loaded with 36 800 tonnes of spring wheat destined for customers in Sudan. The CWB has shipped 3.78 million tonnes of grain through the port over the last 10 years.
The CWB supports the use of the Port of Churchill on Hudson's Bay as a cost-effective shipping alternative for grain from the eastern Prairies destined for customers in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe. This year, 12 vessels carrying 229 000 tonnes of spring wheat and 124 000 tonnes of durum were loaded with wheat at Churchill.
As a northern port, Churchill is only ice-free for a few months each year. Its shipping season typically begins in July and runs until the end of October. Transportation to the port is carried out over 1,400 kilometres of rail linking Churchill to farmers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.
For more information, please contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry
Manager, Media Relations
Winnipeg, MB
tel: (204) 983-3101
cell: (204) 479-2451