SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Australian wheat stocks are down 7% compared to 2011, but the wheat was generally of a better quality than last year, according to the Sept. 17 grain stocks report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Bulk storage of wheat grain in August was down 711,000 tonnes, or 7%, from the same month a year ago. Storage was down 2.4 million tonnes or 21% to 9.1 million tonnes since July.
“The continuous decrease of Australia's bulk storage of wheat grain closely follows the expected pattern of decline post-harvest in combination with increasing wheat grain exports over the last few months,” ABS said.
The stocks of wheat grain stored in 2011-12 are generally of a better quality than in 2010-11, which has consequentially lifted the ratio of milling grade wheat grain to feed grade wheat grain this season. In August 2012 the ratio of milling to feed grade wheat grain was 3.0:1 while August 2011 ratio was 1.1:1, ABS said.
Stocks of wheat grain for milling in August were 6.8 million tonnes which was 75% of all grain stored. This was a decline of 1.4 million tonnes (or 17%) since July and an increase of 1.7 million tonnes (34%) compared to August 2011.
At the end of August, feed grade wheat grain stocks were 2.3 million tonnes (25% of all grain stored) which was a decrease of 980,000 tonnes (30%) from July. Compared to August 2011 feed grade wheat grain stocks were down by 2.4 million tonnes (52%).
All states recorded a decrease in stocks of wheat grain stored in August. With a decrease of 806,000 tonnes (17%) from July Western Australia registered the biggest fall of wheat grain stocks.
The largest quantity of wheat grain was held in Western Australia with 4 million tonnes that accounted for 44% of the Australian total. New South Wales (including ACT) was next largest with 2.4 million tonnes contributing 26% of national stocks.