According to a Reuters poll Australia, the world’s second largest exporter of wheat, is set to produce its fourth largest wheat harvest despite dry weather in some growing regions. Reuters found that output will likely outpace government estimates of 24.5 million tons, rising 14% to 25.3 million tons in 2013/14 compared to 22.1 million tons last year. Australian wheat production has surpassed 25 million tons only four times with record production of 29.5 million tons in 2011. Australian wheat is under high demand this year from China after approximately 20 million tons, or 16% of its wheat crop was lost because of bad weather. Australian port access for wheat is booked from December when the new crop hits the market to June. Production in Queensland and New South Wales which produce the country’s highest protein wheat will be lower because of hot, dry weather and frosts in the last few months, however protein content is expected to be high. In the country’s largest wheat producing state of Western Australia, Go West analysts predict a harvest of 7.9 million tons – up from last year’s harvest of 6.9 million tons. CBH Group estimates a harvest of 8.5 million tons, and ABARES predicts output of 7.33 million tons for the state.
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