Drought down under

Australia is in the grip of a severe drought. Recently, food production has decreased sharply, prices have soared and there has been water shortages and Flowering in concrete jungles bush fires in the eastern parts of the country.

The state of agricultural production looks dim for the country. According to estimates of the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, the total winter crop production may halve from last year's 28.2 million tonnes to 13.08 million tonnes, and wheat production is likely to nosedive to a mere 8.3 million tonnes. The National Farmers' Federation has warned that there is just enough grain to meet domestic demand until Christmas.