ABB Grain H1 profit rises by 79 pct

SYDNEY, May 27 (Reuters) - ABB Grain Ltd ABB.AX, Australia's leading barley exporter and wheat export hopeful, on Tuesday said its first-half net profit rose 79 percent to A$33.6 million ($32.3 million), driven by higher grain receivals.

This followed an 89.1 percent net profit fall to A$7.3 million in the full year to Sept. 30 because of drought. ABB's profit for half-year to March 31 last year had slumped by 58 percent to A$18.8 million.

ABB is Australia's largest barley exporter and has ambitions to become one of the country's major exporters of bulk wheat when the export system changes on July 1. (Reporting by Michael Byrnes)