Australian forecasters predicting 'best rains of the year' this week
(AP) -- Wheat farmers may enjoy a "significant harvest" this year if crops get much needed winter rains, federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke says.
Meteorologists are predicting some of the best rainfalls for the year this week over much of the country.
Mr Burke told reporters that winter rains would be crucial to the size of the harvest.
"The optimism of the wheat crop will depend very much on what happens over the comings weeks and months," he said.
"There is a higher level of optimism that there was 12 months ago." But Mr Burke said 12 months ago, much of what had been expected for that crop "fell over".
"We had a good moisture profile at the time of planting, there is an opportunity that we may well see quite a significant harvest this year.
"But we're still in the hands of whether we get those much-needed, much-wanted and much-prayed-for winter rains."
Meteorologists are predicting some of the best rainfalls for the year this week over much of the country.
Mr Burke told reporters that winter rains would be crucial to the size of the harvest.
"The optimism of the wheat crop will depend very much on what happens over the comings weeks and months," he said.
"There is a higher level of optimism that there was 12 months ago." But Mr Burke said 12 months ago, much of what had been expected for that crop "fell over".
"We had a good moisture profile at the time of planting, there is an opportunity that we may well see quite a significant harvest this year.
"But we're still in the hands of whether we get those much-needed, much-wanted and much-prayed-for winter rains."