Western Australia’s wheat, barley and canola harvest outlook improves again

Western Australia, the country’s biggest grains-exporting region, will produce 300,000 metric tons more wheat, 1.1 million tons more barley and 225,000 tons more canola this season than expected a month ago, an industry group said on Friday. The upgraded forecasts underscore an improving picture for Australia’s overall grains output. Australia exports most of its harvest and large production would add to global supply at a time when benchmark prices are near five-year lows. ZW1! “The outlook for the West Australian grain growing season has improved over the past month due to mild temperatures and regular rainfall,” the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia (GIWA) said in a monthly crop report. Frost and heat could still damage yields in the coming weeks, with many late crops that are particularly vulnerable, but if those hurdles are dodged, estimates could rise again, GIWA said. The state is now on track to produce 11.8 million tons of wheat, 7.1 million tons of barley – ...