FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 09/98 - AUSTRALIA (3

AUSTRALIA (3 September)

Prospects for the 1998 winter wheat and coarse grains crops in Australia have improved significantly over the past two months due to excellent moisture conditions throughout most of the major producing areas. Although serious localized flooding in New South Wales in late July damaged some winter grain crops, the affect on the country’s aggregate output will be limited. The latest official forecast in September put the 1998 wheat crop at 23.5 million tonnes, 26 percent up from the previous year’s crop. By contrast, coarse grains output in 1998 is forecast at 9.2 million tonnes about the same as last year. Despite the reduced plantings, winter barley and oats crops are forecast to be as large as in the previous year, reflecting generally favourable growing conditions. The small summer coarse grain crop (mostly sorghum) which was harvested earlier this year, was some about 10 percent down from the previous year.

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