7501.0 - Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary, 1997-98  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 02/11/1998   
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  • Estimated gross value of agricultural production down - ABS (Media Release)

MEDIA RELEASE

November 2, 1998
Embargoed 11:30am (AEST)
110/98

Estimated gross value of agricultural production down - ABS

A fall in the value of major crops has driven the gross value of Australian agricultural production down for 1997-98 according to preliminary estimates released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The gross value of wheat fell 23 per cent to $3.8b, while barley fell 12 per cent to $1.2b due to lower average prices and reduced production.

However, the value of some crops increased such as grapes up 13 per cent to $810m, pastures and grasses, up 23 per cent to $590m and canola, up 22 per cent to $290m.

The gross value of all livestock slaughterings and other disposals increased by 5 per cent to $6.5b, reflecting increases in the average prices for cattle and increased slaughterings of all categories of livestock during 1997-98.

Despite the fall in wool prices (from January 1998) and the fall in production, the average wool prices up to December 1997 were sufficiently high to show a 5 per cent increase to $2.8b in the gross value of wool for the year.

While average milk prices have decreased, an increase in production has resulted in a slight increase to $2.8b in the gross value of milk for the year.

The preliminary estimate of total gross value of agricultural production have remained virtually unchanged for Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia while Victoria and New South Wales have recorded decreases in total gross value of production.

These estimates have been compiled using the latest production data available from the Agricultural Commodity Survey for the year ended 31 March 1998.

Further details are in Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia 1997-98 (cat. no. 7501.0) available from ABS bookshops. Main Features of the publication are available from this site.