NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE	Release Date
November 2010	24 December 2010
December 2010	25 January 2011
January 2011	28 February 2011

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication provides estimates of stocks of wheat, barley, and selected other grains and pulses held by bulk grain handlers. These estimates are compiled from the Grain Handlers Stocks Survey (GHSS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In addition to the monthly wheat estimates, quarterly estimates for barley and selected other grains and pulses are available in a separate data cube from the 'Downloads' tab of this publication.

For more detailed information on wheat use and stocks, see Wheat Use and Stocks, Australia (cat. no. 7307.0).

The ABS welcomes any comments from readers regarding the usefulness, range and quality of the statistics presented in this publication. Comments can be forwarded to: Environment and Agriculture Business Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box 66, Hobart TAS 7001. Alternatively, email: agriculture.statistics@abs.gov.au, or phone (03) 6222 5939.


CHANGES IN FORTHCOMING ISSUES

Currently, estimates of stocks of barley and selected other grains and pulses are reported on a quarterly basis in data cubes attached to this publication. Following a review of the collections and changing data needs among key clients, collection of these data will cease. Stocks of barley and selected other grains and pulses will not be published for the December 2010 quarter. Updated estimates of stocks of barley and selected other grains and pulses for the March 2011 quarter will appear in the March 2011 issue of this publication, after which no further updates will be published. The publication of monthly data on stocks of wheat held by bulk grain handlers will continue unchanged.

The release of the January 2011 issue of this publication, previously advertised for 24 February 2011, will now occur on 28 February 2011.


KEY POINTS

At the end of October 2010, Australia's bulk storage of wheat grain was estimated at 3.4 million tonnes, which was 33% less than the amount stored at the same time in September 2010. Of the total wheat grain stored by bulk grain handlers, 89% (or 3.1 million tonnes) was milling grade, and 11% (or 0.4 million tonnes) was feed grade. Stocks of wheat grain stored by bulk grain handlers decreased in all states in October 2010, when compared to September 2010.

STOCKS OF WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY BULK GRAIN HANDLERS, at month end
		WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY STATE						WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY GRADE(a)
		NSW(b)	Vic.(c)	Qld	SA	WA	Aust.	Milling	Feed
		'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t
2009-10(d)
	October 2009	1 470	71	1 005	256	922	3 724	3 027	697
	November 2009	4 066	337	1 217	1 716	2 697	10 033	8 590	1 443
	December 2009	4 171	1 557	1 135	3 788	7 137	17 788	15 360	2 428
	January 2010	3 856	1 734	1 044	3 789	6 621	17 044	14 642	2 402
	February 2010	3 345	1 624	1 006	3 644	5 945	15 564	13 424	2 140
	March 2010	2 951	1 450	940	3 475	5 252	14 068	12 133	1 935
	April 2010	2 667	1 301	821	3 178	4 803	12 770	11 043	1 727
	May 2010	2 238	1 137	694	2 895	4 186	11 150	9 729	1 421
	June 2010	1 997	986	608	2 566	3 727	9 884	8 642	1 242
	July 2010	1 451	678	457	2 177	3 137	7 900	7 025	875
	August 2010	1 351	603	397	1 723	2 613	6 687	5 938	749
	September 2010(d)	972	487	320	1 393	1 943	5 115	4 530	585
2010-11(d)
	October 2010	567	300	193	898	1 482	3 440	3 066	374
(a) Wheat grain is graded by quality.
(b) Includes ACT.
(c) Includes Tas.
(d) The end of September is used to represent the closing stocks of wheat grain prior to the commencement of the next harvest period (October to September).

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.