Australia revises 2014/15 wheat output forecast upwards

Rains came as a relief to drought-stricken areas in Australia where wheat is cultivated, prompting concerned officials to raise the output forecast for the 2014/15 wheat period to 23.61 million tonnes from the earlier forecast of 23.22 million tonnes made in December.   

According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), this figure represents Australia's eighth-largest harvest on record.

In the meantime, rapeseed production for 2014/15 is forecast to reach 3.413 million tonnes, a rise from the previous forecast of 3.32 million tonnes made in December.

The forecast for cotton is maintained at 470,000 tonnes, unchanged from a September forecast.