Grain growers in eastern Australia had been hit by as much as 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rain in the seven days up until last Monday, and more was forecast for last week. Independent forecasters are predicting that Australia could reap a crop approaching the record 26.3 million tonnes harvested in 2010-11. However the rain is seen as affecting yield and protein in the New South Wales wheat crop which had been only 50 per cent harvested last week, with Victoria and South Australia even less. Reuters