Australia-Market update.
Summer rainfall brings pleasure and pain
The past three months have seen vastly contrasting seasonal conditions across Australia, as northern Australia experienced one of its heaviest wet seasons in decades, while southern Australia was plagued by record temperatures and the continuation of drought conditions.
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the summer months saw most of northern Australia receive very much above average rainfall, with in excess of 1000mm recorded across regions of northern Queensland. Average to above average falls stretched south into regions of central and southern Queensland, the NT and WA, and most of northern NSW.
While many regions of northern Queensland are still waiting for flood waters to recede, especially around the gulf regions, the long term benefit of such heavy falls for cattle producers is expected to be significant. Last year was one of the driest years on record, resulting in cattle numbers being drastically reduced throughout western Queensland and across central and southern NT. The very wet start to 2009 should provide ample feed supplies for the coming year, allowing cattle numbers to be rebuilt, either through purchasing suitable cattle or via breeding. Through falls throughout summer across central and southern regions of Queensland were not to the same extent as those in northern Queensland, they were still above average, with flows through the channel country also assisting seasonal conditions across Queensland.
Unfortunately, given the extent of the flooding through many regions of northern Queensland, stock losses will not be known until mustering can take place, which is still expected to be some weeks away. Like previous floods, losses are likely to hit calf and weaner numbers the hardest, reducing income and turnoff for coming years.
Across the southern states, summer was marked by a period of record temperatures throughout January, which only accentuated drought conditions. Most of southern NSW, Victoria, eastern SA and Tasmania recorded average to below average falls throughout summer. The coming three months will again be critical for many southern producers, with a good autumn break boosting both cropping and livestock prospects.
In the west, cyclonic activity in the Pilbara region saw a strip of average to above average falls stretch through central and southern regions, while most of the southern half of the state recorded average falls for summer. In the far north, very much above average falls were recorded across the Kimberley region and into the NT.
Source Meat & Livestock Australia & Australian Bureau of Agriculture & Resource Economics.
