Australia to import first wheat in 12 years as drought bites
Baku, May 15, AZERTAC
Australia will import its first shipment of wheat in more than a decade as a drought across the country’s east coast wilts supply in the world’s fourth largest exporter of the staple grain, Reuters reported.
Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources said late on Tuesday that it has approved an import permit of Canadian wheat.
“The shipment is expected to arrive in Australia in the next six to eight weeks,” it said in a statement on its website.
Australia last imported wheat in 2007 when an El Nino weather event led to a severe drought and cut production to around half of the typical annual output.
Although the last El Nino was in 2016, Australia has suffered a prolonged drought along its east coast in recent years, which has led to two straight years of lower output.
The drought also threatens production this year.
Farmers are now sowing crops, but with little rains, many have been forced to delay planting or choose to sow into dry soils - exposing them to crop failures.
Australia’s official commodity forecaster in March said production would rally nearly 40 percent this year but with little rains, private forecasters are beginning to trim their estimates.
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