Helped by mild conditions in May and June and high levels of soil moisture, Australia’s wheat harvest will be stronger than originally expected. South Australia’s harvest will be 4.64 million tons which is down 336,000 tons from last year but still higher than the 4.36 million tons predicted by the country’s commodity bureau, ABARES. In most areas of the state crops are two to three weeks ahead of normal development and yields are expected to be above average. The National Australia Bank (NAB) forecasts a national wheat harvest of 26 million tons – down only one ton from the 27 million tons harvest of 2013/14 while ABARES forecasts a decline of 2.43 million tons year on year. However, because of built up resistance to common pesticides by green peach aphids, the county’s canola crop was hit by beet western yellow virus with transmission rates of the virus at 97%. South Australia’s canola crop is now estimated to be 334,500 tons below the official ABARES forecast of 3.47 million tons – the lowest output in four years.
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