MUMBAI (Commodity Online): Australia's rice output in the crop year ended March 31 is expected to touch around 205,000 metric tons or triple from 63,000 tons, according to the grains report by the New South Wales Industry & Investment department.

Harvesting of the crop in the Riverina district of New South Wales is almost complete, with yield averaging 11 tons a hectare, the highest on record, up from 8.9 tons/hectare previously, according to the report.

The report further said that the next crop to be harvested around this time in 2011, would be marginally larger from this year.

Rainfall in coming months in the major storage catchment areas will ultimately determine the size of the next crop, which is planted around September-October, according to the report.

Prior to the current harvest, industry participants estimated production would be 175,000 tons.

Australia