Washington, Jun 18 (TIWN): Almost four months after the Russia-Ukraine war impacted the global wheat trade, the world was looking forward to the harvest from the US - the world's fourth largest wheat exporter - but a massive drought has hit the output there with wheat production forecast at 1.18 billion bushels, down 7 per cent from 2021.

"From California to Texas, hot, dry weather compounded the effects of a punishing drought," a US government report about the weekly weather and crop condition said, adding: "Drought-related complications included dwindling surface water supplies, severe stress on rangeland, pastures, and rain-fed summer crops, and record-setting wildfires."

However, it is the wheat production that has borne the major brunt of this drought. The situation was already alarming after China and parts of Europe showed declining prospects for what and India putting in place an export ban on wheat.