Australian Pulse Crop Worsens While Grain Improves

VANCOUVER - Dec 5/11 - SNS -- Pulse production in Australia has ended up smaller than initially expected, dropping 7.4% from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences' September forecast for an over 15% drop from last year's harvest.

"Growing conditions over winter and spring were generally favorable in the major winter cropping regions," ABARES noted in its latest crop report. "Most notably, crop production in Western Australia is forecast to increase significantly, leading to a forecast record winter crop harvest for the nation as a whole.

"Favorable winter and spring rainfall over Western Australia's cropping regions has resulted in a marked turnaround from last season's dry conditions. Between 25 and 100 millimeters of rain was received in each of the spring months and this has boosted yield prospects. However, the rain has also slowed the harvest, and has reportedly lowered the quality of affected crops in some regions.

"Major winter cropping regions in South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales recorded below average September rainfall. However, average to above average rainfall in October and November has placed most crops in a good position ahead of harvest. In northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, above average rainfall has been recorded in the past few weeks, which has delayed harvest and affected crop quality in some regions."