CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — Although Australian wheat quality in October was down compared to the previous month, the quality was improved compared to last year’s statistics, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Nov. 28.

The ABS said stocks of milling grade wheat at the end of October were 3.8 million tonnes, or 52% of all grain, a decrease of 387,000 tonnes, or 9%, from September. However, it was an increase of 774,000 tonnes, or 25%, from the previous year.

Stocks of feed grade wheat grain at the end of October were 3.5 million tonnes, a decrease of 529,000 tonnes (13%) from the end of September, and a 3.1 million tonne increase compared to October 2010.

Total bulk storage of wheat grain at the end of October was more than double the amount stored at the same time last year. Storage was down 916,000 tonnes, or 11%, from September to 7.3 million tonnes.

All states reported decreases in stocks of wheat grain compared to September 2011, following the expected pattern of post-harvest decline. The exception was Queensland, which was up 490,000 tonnes.

Despite a fall of 659,000 tonnes, or 19%, from September 2011, NSW/ACT stored the largest amounts of wheat grain at 2.7 million tonnes (37% of the national stock).