Rain Hinders Crop Harvesting in Eastern Australia

Brisbane. Rainfall in eastern Australia is disrupting the harvesting of various crops. Although October is drawing to a close, only one of the three major bulk handlers has released a harvest report—a departure from the usual trend. This handler received its first consignment of produce on September 24, with its inaugural weekly harvest report issued on October 13.

In New South Wales and Queensland—Australia’s primary chickpea-producing states—frequent rain is delaying the harvest, raising concerns that crop quality may be compromised. Similarly, in South Australia and Victoria, which are leading producers of lentils, further rainfall is not needed; any unseasonal rain could potentially damage the crops. In most regions, chickpea and lentil crops have reached maturity and are now ready for harvest.

Approximately 291,000 tonnes of agricultural produce have been delivered to the storage network of Bunge, a bulk grain handler, across South Australia and Queensland. Another bulk handler, the CBH Group, received its first consignment at the Geraldton terminal on September 22 but has yet to release a weekly report. Last year, the company issued its report on October 27, while this year, it is expected to be released on November 2.

The low volume of produce reaching terminals and storage networks clearly indicates that adverse weather conditions in Australia are slowing down the harvesting of various crops, including pulses.