MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Australia’s wheat grain for milling was up 2.6 million tonnes or 36% in June compared to last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on July 16 in its Stocks of Grain Held by Bulk Handling Companies and Grain Traders report.

ABS said stocks of wheat grain for milling were 9.9 million tonnes in June, which was 70% of all grain stored. This represents a decline of 1.5 million tonnes, or 13% from May, but an increase of 2.6 million tonnes compared to June 2011.

Feed grade wheat grain stocks were 4.2 million tonnes, 30% of all grain stored, which was a decrease of 847,000 tonnes from May 2012. Compared to June 2011, feed grade wheat stocks were down 1.9 million tonnes or 31%, ABS said.

Bulk storage of wheat in June was 14.1 million tonnes, down 2.3 million tonnes or 14% from May. It was up 692,000 tonnes, or 5%, from June 2011.

“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.

All states registered a decrease in stocks of wheat grain stored in June. The largest fall in stocks of wheat grain stored occurred in New South Wales where a decrease of 850,000 tonnes or 18% from the end of May 2012 was recorded.

The largest quantity of wheat grain was held in Western Australia with 5.9 million tonnes that accounted for 42% of the Australian total. New South Wales (including ACT) was next largest with 3.8 million tonnes contributing 27% of national stocks.