07/18/08 Idaho, global wheat production is up

Earlier this year world wheat stocks were approaching record low levels. Poor yields and weather problems in many wheat growing regions last year led to that drop but USDA says there has been a turnaround. World Outlook Board Chairman Gerald Bange says global wheat production this year is expected to be a record 664 million tons, a 53 million ton increase over last year's crop or the equivalent of US wheat production last year. BANGE "A very, very sharp increase in world production. Sort of like adding another US to the world production numbers in 2008-09." Australia had a dismal crop last year because of drought but this year the Aussie weather improved. BANGE "We're expecting to see a crop in Australia of about 25 million tons and would be up very, very sharply from the disastrous crops they've had for the previous two years. European Union looks excellent. Looking for a crop there of 141.7. That's not quite a record but it's certainly getting close to it." Idaho spring and winter wheat acreage is up 15 and 16 percent respectively this year over last. USDA is now predicting a three percent increase in the US winter wheat crop from June but soft red winter wheat production had an even bigger gain. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott