Agricultural Production in Australia

Tom Loynachan

January 30, 2008

Agriculture in AustraliaOverview of production

• Climate

• Soils

• Crops

• Livestock

Agriculture in Australia

• Agriculture industries in Australia comprise wide variety of crops, horticulture, viticulture, dairy, fiber, fisheries and livestock

Agriculture in Australia

• Country is slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

• 3% of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product comes from agriculture

• 80% of all agricultural production is exported

• Australia remains the world's leading producer of wool, regularly supplying nearly one-third of the global total

Top Products by Values (2006-07)Millions of Australian $

Cattle and calves 6,517

Wheat 6,026

Milk 3,245

Fruit and nuts 2,915

Vegetables 2,715

Wool 2,138

Barley 1,624

Poultry 1,461

Lambs 1,348

Sugar cane 1,208

Melbourne:

370 47’ S

Springfield, MO:

370 13’ N

32 in. = 800 mm

Irrigation in Australia is a widespread and required in many areas for production of crops for domestic and export use.

The gross value of irrigated agricultural production represents around a quarter (23%) of the gross value of agricultural commodities produced in Australia in 2004-05, on less than 1% of agricultural land. Common crops produced using irrigation include rice, cotton, canola, sugar, various fruits and other tree crops and pasture, hay and grain for use in beef and dairy production.

Australian Rice Crop at Record Low

• December 04, 2007

• AUSTRALIA'S rice crop is predicted to be the smallest on record due to the long-running drought, while cotton production is set to hit a 30-year low, the chief commodity forecaster said Tuesday.

Australia Looks to GM Crops after Scorching 2007 by Staff WritersSydney (AFP) Jan 3, 2008

• Australia's agriculture minister on Thursday hailed genetically modified crops as a means to help farmers combat climate change, as data showed 2007 was the country's sixth hottest year on record.

Soils

• One of the greatest natural resources. I include soils developed on a wide range of rock types and under climatic conditions varying from the alpine zones of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, through the Mediterranean zones of southern and south-western Australia and the wet and dry tropics of Queensland, to the very low rainfall areas of the center.

Soil pH of Victoria

Crop (kilotons)

New South Wales

Victoria Queensland Western Australia

South Australia

Tasmania Total

Wheat 6714 2173 1301 6959 3382 23 20552

Barley 1070 1173 202 1511 2000 25 5981

Sorghum 739 3 1140 3 0 0 1885

Cottonseed 663 0 1140 3 0 0 1806

Canola 637 312 1 530 225 1 1706

Oats 360 420 7 588 137 8 1520

Lupins 140 30 0 1050 103 0 1323

Field peas 20 166 0 47 190 1 424

Maize 190 8 171 6 0 0 375

Chickpeas 86 20 56 29 5 0 196

Lentils 2 68 0 2 56 0 128

Broad beans 42 68 1 0 14 0 125

Sunflower seed

46 0 65 0 0 0 111

Wheat

• Australian wheat is a major competitor of US wheat exports

• Production concentrated in a narrow crescent know as the wheat belt, which receives approximately 400 to 600 mm average annual rainfall

• Grown as a ‘winter’ crop (autumn-winter-spring), often in rotation with some form of pasture

• Virtually all rainfed

• Wheat crop normally averaged 25 m tonnes (2nd to USA)

• 2007 9.8 m tonnes

1 metric tonne: = 1000 kg= a megagram (Mg)= 2205 lbs

Barley

• Produced same areas as wheat

• 60% feed barley, 40% malting barley

• >80% of malting barley exported (30% of world trade)

Barley has 3 major end uses:Feed grain - it is a preferred grain for many feedlots and stockfeed manufacturers.Malt barley - for the production of beer and other foodstuffs.Forage - for grazing, hay or silage.

Australia cultivates an abundance of nuts, vegetables, and many tropical fruits, including:

– Bananas – Apples – Potatoes – Carrots – Pineapple – Orange – Mango – Chestnuts – Tomatoes

Livestock slaughterings Thousands ('000)

Beef 8 587

Cattle exported live 797

Sheep 14 441

Lambs 17 400

Sheep exported live 6 443

Pigs 5 402

Poultry 416 000

Beef Industry

• Biggest agricultural enterprise

• >60% exported mainly to:– United States– Japan

• Benefitted recently because does not have mad cow disease

Breeds

• http://www.yf-agrivet.com.hk/english_site/livestk_prod.htm

Tropical breeds in north; temperate breeds in south

In north, large cattle stations, grazing on native pastures at low stocking

In south, more intensive grazingon smaller farms with introduced pastures and fodder crops

Pasture fed dominates but feedlots rapidly developing

Dairy

• Dairy products are Australia's fourth most valuable agricultural export

• Not heavy regulation today…which has changed over the last 30 years

• Asia and Middle East are prime markets

Pork

• Produce about 5 million pigs annually

• 0.4% of world production

• Important for local employment and consumption

Fisheries

• About 1/3 of value from aquaculture (farming of aquatic organisms), which has been steadily rising

• Main seafood exports include rock lobsters, prawns, tuna, and shellfish

Questions