Australia 2009-10 wheat crop unchanged at 22.8 million tonnes

Rabobank has held its 2009-10 Australian wheat production forecast unchanged at 22.8 million tonnes, but said Monday (September 21) that the size of the crop still hangs in the balance, with crops in a number of areas suffering moisture stress.

Hot, dry, windy weather has pushed production estimates down in northern New South Wales and Queensland with rainfall needed in the next 10 days to avoid further downgrades in yield estimates, it reported in a monthly commodity review.

"Near excellent growing conditions have bolstered production expectations" in Western Australia, South Australia and western Victoria, it added.

The crop is mostly harvested in November and December.