The 2024 Harvest Season: A Global Snapshot

As March arrives, the world watches closely to see how the 2024 wheat harvest will shape up. In the northern hemisphere, winter wheat is waking up from dormancy, making weather increasingly important. Meanwhile, farmers in the southern hemisphere are preparing for their spring crops and winter wheat planting season. 

In March, the northern hemisphere's wheat enters a critical growth phase. Though not highly sensitive to temperature stress at this stage, weather conditions can still impact the crop's yield potential. In the southern hemisphere, planting typically starts in April and goes through August, with harvests occurring between October and February. 

For the 2023/24 season, Australia's wheat production was around 25.5 million metric tons (MMT), with predictions for 2024/25 reaching up to 28.4 MMT due to expect La Niña rains. Argentina saw a boost to 15.5 MMT, thanks to favorable weather conditions. 

In the northern hemisphere, winter wheat is planted from September to November and harvested from the south to the north through September. Spring wheat is planted from April to June and harvested from July to September. Canada anticipates increased production due to normalized weather, despite ongoing moisture deficits in Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

The United States forecasts a slight decrease in wheat acreage but expects a total production of 51.7 MMT. The European Union faces challenges with wet fall weather, but private estimates suggest a production of 142.3 MMT. Russia and Ukraine have had mild weather, helping wheat transition from dormancy, with Russia predicting up to 93.0 MMT and Ukraine at 4.2 million hectares planted. 

This overview provides a glimpse into the global wheat situation as we head into the 2024 harvest season. Weather will be a crucial factor, but for now, we have a promising start.