The French agriculture ministry has forecast the country’s 2018 wheat harvest at just over 34m tonnes, which is down 5% on the five-year average harvest. Barley production for 2018 is pegged at 11m tonnes, while maize production will be just over 12m tonnes.

Severe drought conditions in Australia could see average yields for the 2018 wheat harvest fall to just 0.6t/ha, which would be the lowest in 70 years. The Australian agriculture ministry last forecasted a wheat harvest of 19m tonnes, but this is likely to be revised down sharply.

US beef exports for the month of August stood at just under 120,000t, which is up 7% on the same month last year. This brings US beef exports for the first eight months of 2018 (Jan-Aug) to a cumulative 900,000t, which is 9% ahead of the same period last year.

Brazilian beef exports for September stood at just under 150,700t, according to the country’s agriculture ministry. This brings beef exports for the first nine months of 2018 (Jan-Sep) to 960,000t, which is 11% ahead of the same period last year.