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18 June 2015
The full report is available from http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares
Summary of key issues
During the week ending 17 June 2015, widespread rainfall was received in eastern Australia.
Rainfall in excess of 25 millimetres was recorded in isolated areas of southern Western Australia and the Northern Territory, coastal and large areas of inland Queensland, eastern areas of South Australia, most of New South Wales, northern Victoria and much of Tasmania.
The widespread heavy rain over large areas of eastern Australia this week has brought timely moisture for the germination and growth of winter crops and pastures.
Maximum and minimum temperatures were above average over much of Australia during the week ending 16 June 2015. Central Queensland recorded temperatures between 4 and 10 degrees above average for this time of year.
The forecast for the next eight days indicates that rainfall is likely to be restricted to the southern half of Australia. Falls in excess of 25 millimetres have been forecast south western Western Australia, south eastern New South Wales, much of Victoria and north western Tasmania.
Water storage levels in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) increased this week by 86 gigalitres (GL) and are at 41 per cent of total capacity. This is 15 percentage points or 3 348 GL less than this time last year.
The world wheat indicator price (US No. 2 hard red winter, free on board Gulf ports) averaged US$233 a tonne in the week ending 16 June 2015, compared with US$241 a tonne in the previous week.
The Australian grain sorghum indicator price (Sydney) was $338 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, 2 per cent lower than the previous week.
The Queensland young cattle indicator price (330–400 kg live weight C3) averaged 459 cents a kilogram (dressed weight) in the week ending 12 June 2015, largely unchanged from the previous week. Over the same period, young cattle price were largely unchanged in New South Wales at an average 524 cents a kilogram and fell by 4 per cent in Victoria to average 500 cents a kilogram.
The saleyard indicator prices of lamb (18–22kg fat score 2–4) fell in most states in the week
ending 12 June 2015, compared with the previous week. The largest decline was in Western
Australia where the indicator price fell by 10 per cent to average 510 cents a kilogram. The
indicator price fell by 3 per cent in South Australia and by 2 per cent in New South Wales to
average 538 cents a kilogram and 581 cents a kilogram, respectively. In contrast, the indicator
price increased by 2 per cent in Victoria to average 603 cents a kilogram.
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1. Climate
1.1. Rainfall this week
During the week ending 17 June 2015, widespread rainfall was received in eastern Australia. Rainfall in excess of 25 millimetres was recorded in isolated areas of southern Western Australia and the Northern Territory, coastal and large areas of inland Queensland, eastern areas of South Australia, most of New South Wales, northern Victoria and much of Tasmania. The highest recorded rainfall total was 196 millimetres at Mount Bartle Frere near Cairns in Queensland.
The widespread heavy rain over large areas of eastern Australia this week has brought timely moisture for the germination and growth of winter crops and pastures.
Many grain growing regions in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia received rainfall of between 15 and 100 millimetres during the past week. However, given limited stored soil moisture levels in a number of regions, additional winter and spring rainfall will be required for crops to reach their full yield potential.
The rainfall analyses and associated maps utilise data contained in the Bureau of Meteorology climate database, the Australian Data Archive for Meteorology (ADAM). The analyses are initially produced automatically from real-time data with limited quality control. They are intended to provide a general overview of rainfall across Australia as quickly as possible after the observations are received.
For further information go to www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/weeklyrain.shtml
Rainfall for the week ending 17 June 2015
©Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Issued: 17/06/2015
3 1.2. Temperature anomalies this week
Maximum temperatures were slightly above average over much of Australia during the week ending 16 June 2015. Some parts in central Western Australia and central Queensland recorded temperatures between 4 and 6 degrees above average for this time of year.
Minimum temperatures were well above average in north eastern Australia during the week ending 9 June 2015. Central Queensland recorded temperatures between 8 and 10 degrees above average for this time of year.
Spatial temperature analyses are based on historical weekly temperature data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. These temperature anomaly maps show the departure of the maximum and the minimum from their respective long-term averages. Temperature anomalies are calculated using high resolution gridded datasets from 1911 onwards.
For further information go to http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/
Maximum temperature anomalies for the week ending 16 June 2015
©Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Issued: 17/06/2015
Minimum temperature anomalies for the week ending 16 June 2015
©Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Issued: 17/06/2015
4 1.3. Rainfall forecast
The forecast for the next eight days indicates that rainfall is likely to be restricted to the southern half of Australia. Falls in excess of 25 millimetres have been forecast across south western Western Australia, south eastern New South Wales, large areas of Victoria and north western Tasmania.
The rainfall forecast below is produced from computer models. As it contains no input from weather forecasters, it is important to check local forecasts and warnings by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Total forecast rainfall (mm) for the period 18 to 25 June 2015
©Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Issued: 17/06/2015
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2. Water
2.1. Water availability
Water storage levels in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) increased this week by 86 gigalitres (GL) and are at 41 per cent of total capacity. This is 15 percentage points or 3 348 GL less than this time last year.
Water storages in the Murray–Darling Basin (NSW, Victoria and Queensland)
Information on irrigation water available in the Murray–Darling Basin from 1 January 2001 to 18 June 2015 is shown above.
The top horizontal (short dash) line indicates the storage level at the similar time last year. The bottom horizontal (long dash) line indicates the amount of ‘dead’ or unusable storage.
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3. Commodities
3.1. Production and commodities
The world wheat indicator price (US No. 2 hard red winter, free on board Gulf ports) averaged US$233 a tonne in the week ending 16 June 2015, compared with US$241 a tonne in the previous week.
The world coarse grains indicator price (US No. 2 yellow corn, free on board Gulf ports) averaged US$163 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, compared with US$165 a tonne in the previous week.
The world canola indicator price (Rapeseed, Europe, free on board Hamburg) averaged US$453 a tonne in the week ending 16 June 2015, compared with US$452 in the previous week.
The world cotton indicator price (the Cotlook ‘A’ index) averaged US72.1 cents a pound in the week ending 17 June 2015, 1 per cent lower than the previous week.
Data from Beijing Cotton Outlook indicates that China produced 6.4 million tonnes of raw cotton in the 2014–15 season (August to July), around 8 per cent lower than the previous year.
The world sugar indicator price (Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no. 11 contract) averaged US11.5 cents a pound in the week ending 17 June 2015, around 5 per cent lower than the previous week.
The Australian Eastern Market Indicator price for wool averaged 1 356 cents a kilogram clean in the week ending 11 June 2015, 1 per cent lower than the previous week. The total number of bales offered at auction was 36 per cent higher than the previous week.
The Australian grain sorghum indicator price (Sydney) was $338 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, 2 per cent lower than the previous week.
The Australian feed wheat indicator price (General purpose, Sydney) was $302 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, 1 per cent higher than the previous week.
The Australian feed barley indicator price (Sydney) was $292 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, 2 per cent higher than the previous week.
The Australian canola indicator price (Portland, Victoria) was $510 a tonne in the week ending 17 June 2015, 2 per cent lower than the previous week.
The Queensland young cattle indicator price (330–400 kg live weight C3) averaged 459 cents a kilogram (dressed weight) in the week ending 12 June 2015, largely unchanged from the previous week. Over the same period, the young cattle indicator price was largely unchanged in New South Wales at an average 524 cents a kilogram, and fell by 4 per cent in Victoria to average 500 cents a kilogram.
The saleyard indicator price of lamb (18–22kg fat score 2–4) fell in most states in the week ending 12 June 2015, compared with the previous week. The largest decline was in Western Australia where the indicator price fell by 10 per cent to average 510 cents a kilogram. The indicator price fell by 3 per cent in South Australia and by 2 per cent in New South Wales to average 538 cents a kilogram and 581 cents a kilogram, respectively. In contrast, the indicator price increased by 2 per cent in Victoria to average 603 cents a kilogram.
The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) weighted average price of anhydrous milk fat was US$2 814 a tonne on 16 June 2015, compared with US$3 112 a tonne on 2 June 2015. In contrast, the price of cheddar cheese rose by 2 per cent and the price of whole milk powder rose by 1 per cent. The price of skim milk powder remained largely unchanged at US$1 978 a tonne.The wholesale prices of selected fruits generally fell in the week ending 13 June 2015, compared with the previous week. The wholesale prices of banana (cavendish), watermelon (seedless), kiwifruit (hayward), strawberry, pineapple (smoothleaf) and blueberry were lower while the price of avocado (hass) was higher.
There were mixed changes to the wholesale prices of selected vegetables in the week ending 13 June 2015, compared with the previous week. The wholesale prices of cauliflower, and lettuce(iceberg) increased while the prices of onion (brown), tomato (field gourmet) and bean (round, stringless) fell.
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3.2. Selected world indicator prices
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3.3. Global Dairy Trade (GDT) weighted average prices
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3.4. Crop indicator prices
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3.5. Livestock indicator prices
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3.6. Recent movements in fruit and vegetable prices
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4. Data attribution
Climate
Bureau of Meteorology
Weekly rainfall totals: www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp
Monthly and last 3-months rainfall percentiles: www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp
Temperature anomalies: www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/temp/index.jsp
Rainfall forecast: www.bom.gov.au/jsp/watl/rainfall/pme.jsp
Seasonal outlook: www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead
Drought statement: www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/drought.shtml
ENSO Wrap-Up: www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/
Soil moisture: Australian Water Availability Project (ABARES; Bureau of Meteorology; CSIRO) www.eoc.csiro.au/awap/
Water
New South Wales
New South Wales Water Information: http://waterinfo.nsw.gov.au/
New South Wales Office of Water, Department of Primary Industries: www.water.nsw.gov.au/Home/default.aspx Available water determinations register:
http://registers.water.nsw.gov.au/wma/DeterminationSearch.jsp?selectedRegister=Determination
Queensland
Sunwater: www.sunwater.com.au
Seqwater: http://seqwater.com.au South Australia
SA Water: https://www.sawater.com.au/community-and-environment/the-river-murray/river-reports/daily-flow- report
South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au Victoria
Goulburn–Murray Water: www.g-mwater.com.au
Commodities
Fruit and vegetables
Datafresh: http://www.freshstate.com.au Mutton, lambs, wheat, barley and grain sorghum
The Land: hardcopy or online at http://theland.farmonline.com.au/markets.aspx Cattle, mutton, lambs and pigs
Meat and Livestock Australia: www.mla.com.au/Prices-and-markets Pigs
Australian Pork: www.australianpork.com.au Canola
Weekly Times: hardcopy Dairy
Global Dairy Trade: http://www.globaldairytrade.info/en/product-results/download-historical-data/
