Western Australia's Wheat Harvest Begins - Projected Down 75% From Annual Averages - ABC

[hatrack]

The harvest in the drought-stricken midwest region of Western Australia has begun, but yield is expected to be just a quarter of an average year. Grain handler, Co-operative Bulk Handling is tipping a 400,000 tonne crop for the Geraldton region.

Mark Appleyard has started stripping wheat, and says despite receiving more rain than most in the region, he's only hoping to break-even this year. "Yeah, we have to be greatful for what we've got and we're lucky that we've got the rain that we have," he says.

"You don't have to go far and the rain drops off fairly quickly.

"All up we should end up with about 4-thousand tonne off the whole program - around half of what we'd normally achieve."

EDIT

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/2007/s2066103.htm