Australian farmers face more hot, dry weather - forecast

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Australian farmers face more hot, dry weather - forecast

By Colin Packham

 

FILE PHOTO: A lone tree stands near a water trough in a drought-affected paddock on Jimmie and May McKeown's property located on the outskirts of town of Walgett, in New South Wales, Australia, July 20, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Hot, dry weather will persist across Australia's east coast for at least another three months, the country's weather bureau said on Thursday, in a forecast that threatens to severely crimp agricultural production.

 

There is just a 30% chance that Australia's east coast will receive average rainfalls between June 1 and Aug. 30, the Bureau of Meteorology said in its winter outlook.

 

While the dry weather will grip just the east coast, the bureau said there is at least a 70% chance that the entire country will record warmer than average temperatures over the next three months.

 

The forecast would extend drought conditions that have devastated agricultural production across Australia's east coast into a third year.

 

It will fuel concern over the outlook for crops, particularly wheat, the country's biggest rural export, said Tobin Gorey, director of agricultural strategy at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

 

"There is already growing anxiety about the lack of rainfall in Australia's cropping regions," said Gorey.

 

Australia's chief commodity forecaster said in March it expected wheat production to rebound 38 percent in 2019/20 to 23.9 million tonnes, but cautioned that rains were urgently needed.

 

With the poor seasonal conditions, some private analysts have already started to lower their estimates to around 18 million tonnes.

 

Lower east coast production could also force Australian food producers to make rare imports.

 

Australia's Department of Agriculture and Water Resources earlier this month approved the first shipment of wheat into the country in more than a decade.

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; editing by Richard Pullin)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-30

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[helloagain]

Same every year. Move on

[bristolboy]

2 hours ago, helloagain said:

Same every year. Move on

If your memory goes back only slightly more than 2 years.

[Cryingdick]

It's hot and dry in Australia, imagine that.

[bristolboy]

48 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

It's hot and dry in Australia, imagine that.

Tell that to the farmers and their reduced harvests. Callous much?

[Cryingdick]

5 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Tell that to the farmers and their reduced harvests. Callous much?

 

Farmers and ranchers are a big drain on the environment. Perhaps Mother Nature is telling them something? 

[bristolboy]

9 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Farmers and ranchers are a big drain on the environment. Perhaps Mother Nature is telling them something? 

I, for one, can think of a more rational explanation. But I guess when you want to live in denial, paganism is one route to go.

[Cryingdick]

24 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

I, for one, can think of a more rational explanation. But I guess when you want to live in denial, paganism is one route to go.

 

Well when you cut down the trees to make a field and do so in a flood plain and get flooded or a desert and get drought you have to wonder. After that spray round up for mile after mile and pollute what little water you haven't used up. I am surprised a green new dealer like you hasn't already figured out how harmful farming is. Look at a state like Iowa when of the most altered places in the world because of farming.

 

You think cows and crops were meant to be in the part of Australia they are farming? Anyway I could say poor farmers and you would argue the opposite way, it's just how you roll.

[bristolboy]

19 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Well when you cut down the trees to make a field and do so in a flood plain and get flooded or a desert and get drought you have to wonder. After that spray round up for mile after mile and pollute what little water you haven't used up. I am surprised a green new dealer like you hasn't already figured out how harmful farming is. Look at a state like Iowa when of the most altered places in the world because of farming.

 

You think cows and crops were meant to be in the part of Australia they are farming? Anyway I could say poor farmers and you would argue the opposite way, it's just how you roll.

Except of course your original comment had nothing to do with farmers or the environment did it? Let me remind you what you wrote:

"It's hot and dry in Australia, imagine that."

 

 

[Scott]

Troll and off-topic posts removed. 

[Dumbastheycome]

2 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Farmers and ranchers are a big drain on the environment. Perhaps Mother Nature is telling them something? 

You  do  not  eat?

[Cryingdick]

2 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

You  do  not  eat?

 

Everybody eats. It doesn't mean that modern farming practices are not destructive to the environment. Just because a person does something doesn't mean it is good for the earth. Do you ride in cars or fly on airplanes?