Published: 20:14, May 30, 2024
Australian weather bureau forecasts wet months after dry June
By Reuters

This picture taken on December 12, 2023 shows silos near a wheat crop in a paddock located on the Liverpool Plains, near the north-western New South Wales town of Gunnedah. (PHOTO / AFP)

CANBERRA - Most of Australia's main cropping regions are likely to endure a dry June but should grow significantly wetter from July, the country's weather bureau said on Thursday.

Though a dry June could worry farmers, particularly in areas such as Western Australia and South Australia that have mostly been dry in recent months, the outlook should support the country's crop production.

Australia is a major exporter of winter wheat, barley and canola, and bigger harvests would boost global supply.

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Planting is wrapping up in Australia's main cropping areas in the southwest and southeast regions of the country. Analysts predict a wheat harvest of around 28-30 million metric tons in the 2024/25 season, slightly above last season's level.