7501.0 - Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary, 2012-13 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/11/2013   
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MEDIA RELEASE
15 November 2013
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
195/2013

Record production and strong demand sends value of canola up 25 per cent

The value of selected Australian principal agricultural commodities was $33.7 billion in 2012-13, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"The strongest growth came from canola, up in value by 25 per cent on last year to $2.2 billion, thanks to good growing conditions and strong demand from Europe and Asia," said Helen Baird from the ABS.

The value of Australia's main crop, wheat, increased by four per cent to $7 billion and while Western Australia remained as our main wheat producer, it was the only state to see a decline in the value of wheat.

Dry weather saw WA's wheat production fall with a drop of 25 per cent (or $720 million) in their crop, which hit $2.1 billion.

Wheat rose in New South Wales (up 38 percent to $2.2 billion), Victoria (up 23 per cent to $1.1 billion) and South Australia (up 9 per cent to $1.1 billion).

The value of Australia's barley crop rose 16 per cent, to just under $2.0 billion.

Cotton decreased in value by 18 per cent to $1.9 billion, with oversupply leading to a decline in world prices.

Sorghum increased in value by 14 per cent to $481 million and oats saw a moderate increase of three per cent to $263 million.

The gross value of livestock slaughterings and other disposals fell to $13.1 billion, with a 25 per cent decrease in the value of sheep and lambs only partially offset by a seven per cent increase in the value of poultry.

"The gross value of livestock products decreased by seven per cent to $6.8 billion, with a 10 per cent fall in the gross value of wool and an eight per cent fall in the value of milk. This was partly offset by a 12 per cent increase in the value of eggs," Ms Baird said.

Preliminary figures from the Rural Environment and Agricultural Commodities Survey 2012-13 are released down to the state/territory level. The final estimates will be released in 2014, including additional data cubes for regional geographies and Natural Resource Management regions.

Further details are in Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 7501.0), available for free download from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au.