Forecast increases in crop production will contribute to the total gross value of Australian farm production rising to $58.5 billion in 2016–17, which is around 12% higher than the average value for the past five years according to the June edition of ABARES Agricultural Commodities report. Source: AFDJ eNews
ABARES Executive Director, Karen Schneider, said a favourable start to the season, firm export demand and forecast increases in the production of key crop commodities supported this positive outlook.
“In 2016-17, the gross value of crop production is set to increase to $28.6 billion and this is being driven by forecast rises in the value of sugar, cotton and horticulture production,” Ms Schneider said.
“After rising by 10.9% in 2015–16, the gross value of livestock production is forecast to remain at around $29.8 billion in 2016–17.
“The total value of export earnings from farm commodities is forecast to decrease by 2.5% to $43 billion in 2016–17.
“However, export earnings are forecast to rise for wool (up 6%), sugar (14%), lamb (1%), cotton (21%), canola (12%) and live feeder/slaughter cattle (3%).
“These rises will be more than offset by falls in export earnings for beef and veal, wheat, dairy products, barley, chickpeas and mutton.”
Export earnings for fisheries products are forecast to remain at around $1.7 billion in 2016-17, after an estimated increase of 16.7% in 2015–16.
The June edition of the ABARES Agricultural Commodities report includes the latest outlook for Australia’s key agricultural commodities and is available on the ABARES website www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/publications
