With the concepts of climate crisis and population resilience both becoming more frequently mentioned when discussing rural and regional Australia, perhaps a brief overview of aspects of the nation's agricultural inventory might be of interest as an indication of how the country is coping when it comes to food produce security.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Latest Release, 14 June 2024:
Australian Agriculture: Horticulture
Statistics on the production and value of a range of horticultural crops
Reference period
2022-23 financial year
Released
14/06/2024
First release
Key statistics
The local value of Australian fruit production (excluding wine grapes) was $6.3 billion in 2022-23 with 2.7 million tonnes sold in 2022-23
Local value of vegetable production was $5.8 billion with 3.6 million tonnes sold
Local value of cut flowers, nurseries and turf sold was $3.4 billion
Local value of nut production sold was $721.2 million
Local value of wine grapes was $983.1 million with 1.3 million tonnes crushed.
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Key results for 2022-23 include:
Fruit:
The local value of Australian table grapes was $918.6 million, with 233,000 tonnes sold
Apples had a local value of $647.0 million with 285,200 tonnes sold
Bananas had a local value of $583.3 million with 374,300 tonnes sold.
Vegetables:
Potatoes had a local value of $1.0 billion nationally with 1.5 million tonnes sold
Leafy salad vegetables had a local value of $736.5 million with 75,700 tonnes sold
Tomatoes had a local value of $570.6 million with 321,700 tonnes sold.
Nuts:
Almonds had a local value of $523.4 million with 103,400 tonnes sold
Macadamias had a local value of $104.0 million with 48,400 tonnes sold.
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Macadamias experimental estimates
In 2022-23:
Australian production was 48,400 tonnes
Local value was $104 million
Total crop area was 40,800 hectares
The bearing area was 24,300 hectares.
In 2022-23, 60% of the national macadamia crop area was bearing. Queensland had the largest planting area 24,700 hectares, of which only 11,500 hectares (or 46%) was bearing. This reflects that there is a significant area of younger plantings in Queensland. New South Wales has the second largest planting area with 16,000 hectares of which 12,800 hectares (or 80%) was bearing.
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In 2022-23, Queensland produced 70% (34,100 tonnes) of Australia’s macadamias followed by New South Wales with 29% (14,200 tonnes).
In 2022-23, Queensland macadamia production had a local value of $73 million, followed by New South Wales with a local value of $31 million.
NOTE: Value refers to local value which is the farm gate value that farmers receive for their products. This is lower than the gross value which includes transport and marketing costs.
Queensland's production is highly concentrated in the Bundaberg region. In 2022-23 the two largest Statistical Area 2 (SA2) regions were Bundaberg Surrounds (North and South), which accounted for 44% of national production sold. In New South Wales, Lismore Surrounds and the adjacent Ballina Surrounds were the largest producing SA2s, accounting for 21% of national production.
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In the Northern Rivers region in 2022-23 macadamia produce by in-shell weight was:
Lismore Surrounds - 5,203 tonnes
Ballina Surrounds - 4,994 tonnes
Bangalow - 1,539 tonnes.
Lismore Surrounds came in at 3rd place in the Top Ten macadamia production areas of Australia, with Ballina Surrounds following at 4th place and Bangalow in 6th position.
Elsewhere BOM noted:
The value of livestock disposals declined one per cent to $23.3 billion in 2022-23. Cattle was the largest contributor at $13.9 billion, a drop of 2.4 per cent while poultry bucked the trend, increasing by 15.6 per cent to $3.6 billion.
At 30 June 2023 there were 29.9 million head of cattle, a 4 per cent increase on the previous year.
“This is the largest cattle herd in the past five years as rainfall and favourable conditions supported farmers rebuilding their herds....
In 2023 the New South Wales cattle herd estimates stood at 6.14 million cattle. With beef cattle comprising 5.87 million head and dairy cattle 268,000 head.
According to ABS local value of all NSW cattle disposals was $3.11 billion in 2022-23.
Lower rainfall through the early stages of 2023 reduced producer confidence and may have affected livestock disposals generally.
ABS does not publish herd estimates at NSW regional or district level so it is not possible to compare Northern Rivers cattle numbers.
However, a University of Technology Sydney (UTS) June 2023 report did suggest the possibility that beef cattle dominate agricultural gross value product (GVP) in two of the seven local government areas - Clarence Valley & Kyogle. With beef cattle agricultural GVP being a significant factor in Richmond, Lismore & Tweed local governments areas. While dairy cattle agricultural GVP also contribute to the agricultural GVP mix in four of the local governments areas - Clarence Valley, Lismore & Byron.
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