The emerging El Niño weather pattern that Australian scientists have been closely monitoring could prove beneficial to the country's sugar cane growers in Queensland, according to a senior forecaster at Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) National Climate Centre .

This as Queensland, which had lapped its usual intake of rains, could likely use the drier weather to aid its sugar cane harvest, Andrew Watkins, manager of climate prediction at Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) National Climate Centre, said.

Soil moisture remains average to above average in large parts of Australia's main agricultural zones, which is actually good in anticipation of the drier months. Australia is the world's second biggest exporter of wheat and number three biggest exporter of sugar.

To date, Australia has so far experienced about 20 per cent of normal August rainfall, as drier conditions have started to stretch in much of the country.

"The odds are there for drier than normal conditions - eastern Australia particularly and northern Australia as well later on when it comes to the monsoon," Mr Watkins said in Reuters News.

Still, Mr Watkins said Australia may only get to have a slight jab from the El Niño weather pattern this year, noting they don't see a full-blown drought for the coming months.

Moreover, with this particular El Niño weather pattern that the BOM is monitoring, Australia's coal, iron ore and bauxite miners, and oil and gas rigs as well as LNG production plants could only likely experience fewer disruptions, Mr Watkins said.

RELATED STORIES