Australian wheat supply and exports monthly

March 2010

Australian wheat - marketing year (Oct 2009-Sept 2010)
		Oct 09	Nov 09	Dec 09	Jan 10	Feb 10
		(kt)	(kt)	(kt)	(kt)	(kt)
Opening stocks a		3738	4095	10626	22443	20766
	Bulk grain handlers	3421	3724	10033	17766	17022
	Milling	2645	3027	8590	15338	13835
	Feed and other	776	697	1443	2428	3187
	Wheat users b	317	371	593	4677	3744
Wheat grain used		1181	1182	1625	1915
	Export	761	767	1072	1389
	Domestic b	420	415	552	526
Wheat grain committed		1991	2906	3195	4949
	Export	1306	1530	1665	3283
	Domestic	685	1376	1530	1666
Australian wheat production		(kt)
	2006-07 c	10822
	2007-08 c	13569
	2008-09 c	20938
	2009-10 d	21656
Note: a) Opening stocks represent the stocks of wheat held at the end of the previous month as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). b) As a result of a change to ABS survey coverage to include agricultural businesses, manufacturing businesses, dairy operators and wheat growers, 'Opening stocks - wheat users' after and including January 2010, 'Wheat grain used - domestic' and 'Wheat grain committed - domestic' after and including December 2010 are not directly comparable to previous data. c) Historical production as reported by the ABS d) ABARE's estimate of wheat production in Australia as of 16 February 2010. Sources: ABS, Wheat use and stocks, Australia, cat no. 7307.0, ABS, Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary, cat no. 7111.0 Canberra; ABARE crop report

Australian wheat stocks and use

• At the start of February 2010, it is estimated that around 20.8 million tonnes of wheat was held in stock in Australia. Of this amount, around 17 million tonnes of wheat was stored by the bulk grain handlers with around 13.8 million tonnes of milling quality. The amount of feed grade wheat stored by the bulk grain handlers increased by 759 000 tonnes to around 3.2 million tonnes at the beginning of February 2010.
• Wheat stored by the bulk grain handlers fell by 744 000 tonnes to 17 million tonnes at the start of February 2010, after increasing by 7.7 million tonnes in the previous month. The decline partly reflects the significant inflow of the current season crop in December 2009 and the increased export volumes in January 2010. Wheat stored by the bulk grain handlers fell in all states except Victoria and South Australia.
• ABS Wheat Use Survey coverage changed in December 2009. In addition to agricultural and manufacturing businesses, the survey now covers wheat use and stocks of wheat held by dairy operators and wheat growers. As a result, data on opening stocks held by wheat users (from January 2010), domestic wheat use (from December 2009) and wheat committed for domestic use (from December 2009) are not directly comparable with previous data.
• Based on the broader coverage of the ABS survey, 525 500 tonnes of wheat were used domestically in January 2010 and around 3.7 million tonnes of wheat were stored by wheat users at the start of February 2010.
• Wheat committed for domestic use was around 1.7 million tonnes in January 2010.
• Wheat exports increased by 316 800 tonnes in January 2010 to around 1.4 million tonnes, compared with the 1.1 million tonnes shipped in December 2009. Exports increased from all states with the exception of Queensland, reflecting the greater wheat availability following harvest in December 2009.
• Wheat committed for export increased to around 3.3 million tonnes in January 2010 compared with around 1.7 million tonnes in the previous month. The volume of wheat committed for export in one month is generally greater than actual exports in the proceeding month.

For detailed supply and use tables see excel data: Monthly Wheat Stocks and Use

Australian wheat exports

• Wheat exports in January 2010 increased to around 1.4 million tonnes compared with around 1.1 million tonnes in December 2009. Bulk shipments increased by 315 900 tonnes to around 1.2 million tonnes in January 2010, compared with 846 600 tonnes shipped in December 2009. Wheat shipped in bags and containers increased by 1000 tonnes to 226 600 tonnes over the same period.
• The largest markets for bulk wheat exports in January 2010 were Indonesia, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt and Japan.  
• India, Viet Nam, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Thailand were the largest markets for wheat exported in bags and containers.

For detailed monthly export data see excel tables: Australian Wheat Exports