Browse Data and Analysis

El Niño conditions for Australia remain present, but this has been pushed aside in late spring and early summer after the eastern states received above-average rainfalls. This situation has prompted a rise in the sorghum production forecast for MY 2023/24 to 1.8 million metric tons (MMT), and the rice production forecast remains strong at 522,000 metric tons (MT) with the support of ample irrigation water.

Australia is a crucial market for U.S. fresh fruits because of the year-round demand for high-quality products. The U.S. has benefitted from a well-established reputation for producing quality and safe fruits.

The Brazilian orange crop for Marketing Year (MY) 2023/24 is forecast at 408 million 40.8-kg boxes (MBx) - standard reference, equivalent to 16.5 million metric tons (MMT), a decrease of 1.03 percent compared to the estimate of current crop MY 2022/23 (around 412.3 million boxes or 16.67 MMT), due to the incidence of greening, which has been affecting Brazil’s citrus belt.

Brazil continues to offer excellent export opportunities for U.S. companies. In 2022, Brazil’s imports of consumer-oriented agricultural products were US$5.2 billion, an increase of 20 percent compared to the previous year.

Post revises down MY 2023/24 soybean production to 158.5 MMT due to poor weather outlooks resulting from El Niño, particularly in the Centre West states, which may affect final yields currently projected at 3.507 kg/ha.