Australia: Grain and Feed Update

Australia is set for a second consecutive record grain crop following two years of drought. For the winter crops, wheat production is estimated to have reached another record in marketing year (MY) 2021/22 and barley production is expected to be the third largest in history, just slightly behind the previous year. With strong world demand for wheat and feed grains, wheat exports are set to reach a new high, and barley exports are anticipated to be the second largest on record. For the summer crops, sorghum production in MY 2021/22 is forecast to be the highest since MY 2014/15, and rice is forecast for a 74-percent boost in production. Good soil moisture profiles at the point of planting and continued above-average rainfalls have supported strong yield expectations for sorghum. Above-average rains have also enabled much improved irrigation water allocations for rice production.