Near-record production despite floods: ABARES
Farmgate value expected to hit $85 billion in 2022-23Despite the natural disasters Australia faced this year, the agricultural industry is still on track for another bumper year, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
The organisation, which released its Agricultural Commodities and Crop Reports yesterday, said the industry’s total production value looks set to hit $85 billion, just shy of the record $87 billion set the previous year.
“Meanwhile, the winter crop is forecast to be the second largest on record at over 62 million tonnes. Livestock production is expected to hold steady, contributing $34 billon to the national total,” said ABARES Executive Director, Dr Jared Greenville.
“Another bumper year combined with high commodity prices means Australia’s agricultural exports are forecast to break records at over $72 billion in 2022-23.”
While the spring rain has impacted production, yields and quality in some parts of the country, some states are experiencing their best winter crops on record, Dr Greenville said.
“Crops in Western Australia and South Australia benefitted the most from spring conditions, with total production in both states forecast to reach new record levels. Total production in Queensland is forecast to reach the second highest on record, despite parts of the Darling Downs missing out on plantings after being impacted by the floods."
In other parts of the country, the results are mixed with both flooding and water-logging impacting winter crop production, he added.
“We saw a record amount of crop planted in Victoria this year. At the state level, high yields in the Mallee and the Wimmera will offset crop losses in central and northern border regions. However, the full picture of damage to crops from extensive waterlogging remains an unknown.
“Unfortunately, New South Wales has borne the brunt of the damage from the spring rains and subsequent floods. Record spring rainfall followed above average rain in August, which has led to losses.”
As a result, the total production for New South Wales has been revised down by 2 million tonnes since the last Crop Report in September.
“Considerable uncertainty remains over winter crop harvest progress and grain quality in New South Wales and Victoria given ongoing high rainfall, which could lead to downgrades in production value. Harvests in Victoria and New South Wales are likely to run well into summer,” Dr Greenville said.
“The current conditions are a reminder of the volatility of Australia’s climate. While it’s impressive how resilient the agriculture sector has been, it shows how events like floods and droughts can impact regions and Australian farmers.”
For more information, read the ABARES’ December Agricultural Commodities Report and Crop Report.
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