January 4, 2008

Australia wheat in November down 35 percent on year
 

Wheat stocks held in storage facilities operated by Australia's major bulk grain handling companies and traders as of Nov. 30 fell 35 percent from a year earlier to 5.5 million tonnes, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Thursday (January 3, 2008).

As the harvest of winter grain continues, total stocks held by handlers and traders rose more than threefold from 1.4 million tonnes on Oct. 31, the ABS said.

Stocks of winter grains and oilseeds typically rise during the annual harvest from October through December, then decline steadily through the year, reflecting exports and domestic use.

Total Australian grain stocks rose more than threefold in November to 9.8 million tonnes, from 2.5 million tonnes in October, the government statistician reported.

Barley stocks rose almost fivefold to 3.1 million tonnes in November, from 622,700 tonnes in October, but were little changed from a year earlier, the ABS said.

Others grains including oats, triticale, sorghum, pulses and oilseeds more than doubled to about 1.2 million tonnes in November, from 495,600 tonnes in October, the statistician said.

The ABS didn't publish year-earlier figures.

The collection doesn't measure total grain stocks held in Australia, as figures from regional or small storage operators or on-farm stocks aren't captured in the ABS series.