Browse Data and Analysis

A large portion of Australia’s winter cropping area is well-positioned, heading into the forecast year. In New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia, early seasonal conditions are favorable, indicating potential for strong wheat and barley production.

Australian wheat and barley producers faced challenges during difficult seasonal conditions in most major production regions.

Five months into MY2024/25 the situation and outlook for the UK grain sector is starting to become clearer. Significant wheat opening stocks have partly offset concern surrounding the second smallest wheat harvest since MY1999/2000, but even the current momentum in imports means the wheat balance is looking tight.

Australian winter crops have had very challenging seasonal conditions for MY 2024/25, including low soil moisture at planting, below-average rainfall, and frost damage.

A tale of two is emerging for wheat and barley growers in Australia. Those in the eastern states have entered the MY 2024/25 planting season with good soil moisture and a particularly good fall break with widespread rains in the first week of April.

The 2023 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2023 calendar year.

A tale of two is emerging for wheat and barley growers in Australia. Those in the eastern states have entered the MY 2024/25 planting season with good soil moisture and a particularly good fall break with widespread rains in the first week of April.

The UK is forecast to have one of the lowest grain crops on record in MY 2024/25 following challenging winter planting conditions, a very wet winter, and continued rains now disrupting crop management and spring plantings. Not only is this expected to significantly reduce the planted area, but also average yields.

El Niño conditions for Australia remain present, but this has been pushed aside in late spring and early summer after the eastern states received above-average rainfalls. This situation has prompted a rise in the sorghum production forecast for MY 2023/24 to 1.8 million metric tons (MMT), and the rice production forecast remains strong at 522,000 metric tons (MT) with the support of ample irrigation water.

Wheat and barley crops have had a great start to the season, with high soil moisture reserves and good rains in the fall. But rainfall has been well below average from July to September 2023.

Good conditions at planting and during the early growth phase for wheat and barley production have prevailed for marketing year (MY) 2023/24. However, after a record setting winter crop in MY 2022/23, Australia is expected to produce a strong but more subdued grain crop in MY 2023/24.

MY 2022/23 has been overshadowed by the developments in Ukraine. However, high UK grain prices supported planting despite high input prices, especially for fertilizer and fuel.