Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat used to make bread and noodles. Grain buyers expected an abundant harvest to alleviate the global supply shortage in the market. But heavy rains and floods in the east of the country "knocked down" expectations.  

Part of the harvest can be used only for the feeding of livestock. The rain also wreaked havoc on more than 10,000 kilometres of roads in the state of New South Wales. In Victoria, the situation is "absolutely dire," says Emma Germano, president of the Farmers' Federation.  

Farmers try to access the harvested grains to be taken by trucks to grain deposits. Because of the state of the roads, even if the crops can be harvested, it may not be possible, because of the conditions of the roads of the region.  

On the other hand, the railway lines are also not in good condition there, the storage sites to the eastern ports are closed for weeks, because of the impacts of the floods.  

Export flows from the state of Western Australia should offer some relief to markets desperate for wheat.  Wheat exports could reach 26 million tons this season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Source: Agrolink