December 20, 2005

Australian wheat forecasters put new crop at 25 million tonnes
 

Production from the Australian wheat crop now being harvested would reach close to 25.0 million tonnes, if achieved well up from actual output of 20.4 million tonnes the previous crop year ending Mar 31, according to a report Tuesday on Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Australian Wheat Forecasters Pty. Ltd's managing director, Ron Storey, said harvesting is almost finished in New South Wales state.

However, Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia states have yet to complete harvesting of their crops.

"It's turned out to be an excellent harvest and quality is certainly above expectations," Storey said in an interview on ABC's Country Hour programme.

"Some of the earlier concerns about damage to grain don't appear to have been realised," he added.

Harvesting of the bulk of the wheat crop would likely finish by end-December.

On Dec 11, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource reiterated its current new wheat crop forecast of 24.1 million tonnes, which remains around the mid-point of wheat exporter AWB's current forecast range.

After annual demand of about 5.5 million tonnes of wheat is met, the balance is available for export, making Australia a major global supplier.