In its regular drought report, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said last month was the country's driest October since 2002, with rainfall 65 per cent below the 1961-1990 average.
Wheat field in Australia. Photo: Reuters
The organisation said every region of Australia except Victoria had below average rainfall and Western Australia - by far the biggest grain exporting region - saw its driest October on record.
After three years of heavy rain, the El Nino weather phenomenon has brought hot, dry weather to Australia, with September being the driest since records began in 1900.
Rains in some parts of the country in early October prevented a rapid decline in expected crop yields but the country's wheat output is still expected to fall by about 35% this year to around 26 million tonnes.
Below average rainfall is predicted until at least January next year in northern, western and southern Australia, the agency said.
Mai Van (according to Reuters)
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