South Australian rains bolster wheat crop outlook

The outlook for wheat and other winter crops in South Australia got a boost by widespread rainfall as reported Thursday (September 17) by the government's Bureau of Meteorology.

Falls in a range of 10 millimetres to 15 millimetres were reported across most agricultural districts in the 24 hours ended Thursday morning, the bureau said. These latest rains will bolster crops ahead of the critical spring growth period, and suggest that this week's official crop production forecasts could have upside potential.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics (Abare), the government's chief commodities forecaster, while upgrading production estimates, said Tuesday that there is potential for crops in South Australia to achieve average to above average yields, but that favourable spring weather was needed to realize "the promising yield potential."

The amount and distribution of this latest rainfall will bolster winter crop production ahead of harvest, which will be mostly in November.

The weather system that brought rains to South Australia will push through Southeast Australia, spreading showers into Victoria and western New South Wales Friday, according to AWB Ltd weather service.

Abare Tuesday upgraded its forecast for total new crop winter grains production in South Australia to 6.55 million tonnes from an estimate in June of 6.17 million tonnes, both sharply higher than the actual drought-reduced output of 4.60 million tonnes in the last crop year that ended March 31.