Australia – beef exports fall below 1m tonne mark

For its 2016/17 year to the end of June, Australian beef exports fell below the 1m tonne mark for the first time since 2011/12 to reach 963,000t. This represents a 17% decline year on year, as drought forced farmers to liquidate herds in the last 12 months.

Russia – wheat harvest set to be another bumper

Near-perfect soil moisture levels mean Russia’s wheat crop is set to deliver near-record yields this harvest. Forecasts for this year’s harvest have now been revised upwards to a massive 80m tonnes, with some suggestions it could be as high as 85m tonnes.

Brazil – chicken production set to grow despite bird flu

Brazilian chicken production is forecast to increase almost 3% next year to close to 14m tonnes, as rising global demand and supply disruptions caused by avian influenza boost export prospects. Cheap corn prices are also helping profit margins for Brazilian producers.

Canada – rapeseed crop forecast above 18m tonnes

This year’s rapeseed crop in Canada is forecast above 18m tonnes. While this is slightly lower than last season, the 2017 harvest is reported in good condition as cooler temperatures and recent rains help ease difficulties caused by earlier drought conditions.