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GROSS VALUE OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, Australia, year ended 30 June 2014
		Value	Change in value since 2012-13
		$m	%
	Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production
Rice		275.5	-8.7
Cereals for grain and seed (a)		405.6	15.8
Cotton (b)		1 944.0	8.7
Sugar cane		640.3	6.8
Nurseries, cut flowers and cultivated turf		735.8	-10.8
Other broadacre crops		70.0	-37.4
Hay		211.8	39.1
Vegetables (c)		2 519.8	-8.2
Fruit and nuts (excluding grapes)		2 717.1	-3.0
Grapes		908.7	15.4
Dairy production (d)		2 742.5	43.7
Production from meat cattle		718.2	49.7
Production from sheep and other livestock		709.4	49.7
Total		14 598.8	8.7

Footnote(s): (a) Data reported as zero value may not be available for publication. See data cubes for further information. (b) Excludes rice (c) Cotton lint only (d) Vegetables for human consumption only (e) Includes dairy cows in milk and dry; excludes dairy cattle intended for beef production Source(s): Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (cat. no. 4610.0.55.008)

The total Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (GVIAP) for Australia was $14.6 billion in 2013-14, an increase of 9% from 2012-13. The total Gross Value of Agricultural Production (GVAP) was $50.9 billion, an increase of 6% from 2012-13.

The three commodities with the highest GVIAP were:

• dairy products at $2.74 billion
• fruit and nuts at $2.72 billion; and
• vegetables at $2.52 billion.

In 2013-14, drought-like conditions in eastern Australia resulted in increased water usage in both Queensland and Victoria, which were the two largest users of water for agricultural purposes behind New South Wales. Increases in gross value across a number of commodities (including dairy, the largest contributor to GVIAP) drove the increases seen in the states/territories where water usage dropped.

The increase in GVIAP was largely driven by increases in the irrigated value of dairy production, meat cattle and sheep and other livestock. The GVIAP for dairy production was up 44% on the 2012-13 estimates, driven by an increase in the gross unit value for milk, which was supported by strong overseas demand and a drop in the Australian dollar. An increase to the number of businesses that reported irrigating their grazing land also contributed to the increase in GVIAP.

The GVIAP for both meat cattle and sheep and other livestock increased between the 2012-13 and 2013-14 financial years, although they contributed to only 10% of total GVIAP. The increases seen in these categories were driven by adverse weather conditions, which saw large numbers of stock turned off leading to an increase in the gross value of slaughter, and like diary, an increase in the number of businesses irrigating their pastures for grazing.