WA growers Andrew Nixon, Moora, Stuart Faulkner, Beacon, and Nick Gillett, Bencubbin, toured the Poavosa Wisdom last Friday, and witnessed their wheat being loaded onto the vessel.

Mr Faulkner had 1500t of last season's crop on board the ship, while Mr Gillett and Mr Nixon had 1000t each.

The WA wheat was supplied by one of the new participants in the deregulated grains industry, Riverina Australia.

The growers said they sold their wheat to Riverina Australia under the advice of their farm consultant Shane Sander, Agvise Management Consultants, because they were offered the best price on the day. All three growers sold a large percentage of their crop for cash last season, as opposed to using pools.

They also kept a close eye on the market, the first under the deregulated bulk wheat exports system.

The new vessel set sail for Perth last week from the Japanese shipyard where it was constructed, and battled its way through rough seas en route to Australia.

After arriving safely in WA, the ship collected 26,000 tonnes of locally grown APW wheat, from the CBH grain loading terminal at Kwinana.

The wheat was loaded at a rate of about 2300t per hour, amid the glow and aroma of a freshly painted hull.

With its cargo secured the Poavosa Wisdom set sail for Thailand, on much calmer waters, at the weekend.

The 26,000t of high quality WA wheat will be used to supply the healthy demand of five flour millers and grain buyers in Thailand.