Forage logistics is more than just transportation – it is a critical part of ensuring reliability and meeting customer expectations. With bulky, climate-sensitive products, even small issues in handling or routing can affect delivery performance and satisfaction.
Al Dahra’s globally integrated logistics network is built to overcome these challenges. Through multi-origin flexibility, strict quality protocols and real-time tracking, it delivers consistency across 40+ countries – from single-container orders to strategic food reserves. Discover how a complex global supply chain is transformed into the stability and reliability that customers count on every day.
In the world of international forage trade, logistics is more than just transportation. A bale of alfalfa might travel over 12,000 kilometers to a dairy farm in Far East Asia or the Middle East – crossing continents and climates by truck, river barge, rail, ocean freight and final-mile delivery. At every stage, the nutritional value of the bale is at risk. Press density, temperature, humidity and transit time – all matter.
“Forage logistics is about far more than simply moving product from A to B,” explains Ángel Lechuga Muñoz. “It’s about maintaining quality, choosing efficient and sustainable transport, and meeting strict customer requirements – all within the constraints of tight margins and low allowable logistics costs.”
The unique challenges of forage
Forage presents a distinctive set of logistical complexities. It is bulky, seasonal, and lower in value per ton compared to many other agricultural commodities, yet it requires highly controlled handling.
“Unlike a container of electronics or cars, forage is a living, breathing material,” says Lechuga Muñoz. “Even small changes during handling or transport can affect its quality — something that directly matters to end users, especially performance-focused producers such as dairy and livestock farms.”
Florence Tichit, Sales Director, Feed at Al Dahra, explains: “Logistics is fundamental. It is part of the service we offer our customers to ensure that the quality produced matches the quality received — this is intrinsic to the value of the product. Punctuality and speed are the two parameters most valued by our customers. They allow savings at the destination, which makes them essential and not to be overlooked. Production, sales, and logistics must work in unison, with closely aligned forecasts from both sides. Our contracts with shipping companies allow us to secure equipment immediately, in an agile and flexible manner, minimizing fluctuations in international maritime transport.”
Even beyond handling, shipping routes can become bottlenecks. Ports may lack the specialized equipment needed for hay and straw. Seasonal weather patterns, export regulations, and geopolitical events can alter shipping options overnight.
For buyers, especially in emerging markets, these complexities translate into very real risks. “When demand spikes or vessels are delayed, it’s not just a missed delivery window. It’s a risk to the customer’s ability to feed their livestock, manage operations, or meet national quotas,” adds Lechuga Muñoz.
Building a resilient global network
At Al Dahra, we address logistics challenges by investing in a diversified global infrastructure that integrates supply chains across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia — enabling rapid adaptation when conditions change.
At the heart of this system is network design. By maintaining multiple origins and destination routes, Al Dahra can quickly pivot. “During the Red Sea crisis in 2023, we mitigated risk by rerouting shipments from Mediterranean and Black Sea ports — some via the Cape of Good Hope, others through alternative routes — within just a few days. That kept our average transit time under one month,” recalls Lechuga Muñoz.
Resilience also comes from meticulous planning. Vessel slots are booked weeks in advance. Each shipment undergoes a 48-hour pre-load check, inspecting bale density, core temperature, and moisture to meet customer specifications. “We apply the same quality control whether the bale is coming from Spain or Australia,” he says.
This focus on execution extends throughout the journey. Using live satellite tracking and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems, teams monitor shipments closely. If a vessel is delayed, sales, operations, and clients are informed proactively, and contingency stock is released from local storage to avoid disruption.
“We have developed tools to monitor the supply chain up to the destination of the goods. This shortens transit times, ensures immediate product availability, and ultimately increases customer satisfaction. Internal collaboration and strategic partnerships are key to achieving this, and we continue to improve and implement services in the most demanding markets,” says Florence Tichit.
From emergency response to everyday reliability
Logistics today is as much about resilience as it is about cost efficiency. In a world of ongoing supply chain disruption, adaptability has become essential, and guarantees are increasingly rare. To further strengthen delivery reliability and respond more quickly to customer needs, Al Dahra is expanding its network of strategic warehouses in key destination markets. These hubs enhance stock availability, support faster local distribution and provide greater flexibility in responding to unforeseen events, reinforcing Al Dahra’s commitment to dependable, regionally responsive supply.
In early 2024, when a spike in dairy demand across Far East Asia required 35,000 tons of additional timothy hay on 45 days’ notice, Al Dahra’s logistics team mobilized fast. “We consolidated product from three origins, arranged urgent international freight, staged unloading teams in advance, and delivered everything door-to-door in 28 days” says Lechuga Muñoz. “Every shipment was within spec.”
“Ultimately, we are trusted to deliver feed that supports production and operations at scale, and when conditions become unpredictable, relationships matter,” says Lechuga Muñoz. “Because of Al Dahra’s size and presence, we have access to senior decision-makers across our logistics partners – whether that’s negotiating with carriers or resolving last-minute issues with ports and authorities. That’s a major advantage over smaller players.”
During global disruptions like Covid, or current volatility in key corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz, that access can be the difference between a delayed shipment and a delivered one. “This is where scale, experience and strong relationships pay off,” Lechuga Muñoz adds.
Sustainability built in
Al Dahra’s logistics strategy also embeds sustainability. Where possible, shipments use short-sea shipping and intermodal rail to reduce emissions. Sustainability is also a key consideration in Al Dahra’s logistics strategy. Where possible, shipments make use of short-sea routes and intermodal rail to reduce emissions.
In 2024, Al Dahra officially certified savings of 1,000 tons of CO₂ through improved route optimization and reduced empty repositioning. Live CO₂ monitoring tools now help teams select greener transit options where feasible, while end-of-year mapping ensures progress is accurately tracked. Al Dahra is also working closely with logistics partners to develop tailored solutions that balance competitiveness with environmental impact – including trials with methanol and LNG-ready vessels.
“Efficiency isn’t just about cost. It’s about doing the right thing for the planet, and for the long-term resilience of our supply chains,” says Lechuga Muñoz.
Al Dahra is your reliable partner in feed, at every step
Whether it’s a national procurement agency ordering hundreds of containers or a small dairy farm needing just one, every customer benefits from the same backbone of quality, visibility and precision. Al Dahra’s global presence allows it to coordinate shipments across multiple continents with consistency, leveraging a broad network of ports worldwide, with active sourcing in 25 countries and deliveries to over 40 countries. Backed by relationships with over 40 global shipping lines, this extensive footprint translates into agility and continuity, even under pressure.
A key part of that reliability is the company digital infrastructure, which enables end-to-end shipment tracking, real-time updates and proactive issue resolution. This gives customers full transparency and helps them plan with confidence, even when conditions shift unexpectedly.
Al Dahra’s partners’ trust is rooted not just in its global network, but in the professionalism of its teams and its commitment to long-term, win–win relationships. “We go beyond being a transactional supplier,” says Lechuga Muñoz. “Our goal is to help customers build resilient, efficient and sustainable supply chains.”
This collaborative approach has helped Al Dahra earn a reputation as a market leader in the animal feed sector, consistently setting trends in innovation, expansion and strategic development.
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