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Agricultural Survey: Apples and Pears, Australia, Preliminary 2003-04

Apples

Preliminary estimates show the total number of apple trees increased slightly from the previous year to 10.4 million in 2003-04. An increase in tree numbers was reported in the main growing state of Victoria, up by 2.6% to 3.4 million trees. In New South Wales, the next largest growing state, there was a decrease of 1.5% in the reported total to 1.9 million trees.

The total production of apples decreased by 23% from the previous year to 250,300 tonnes in 2003-04. Unfavourable seasonal conditions were experienced by growers in most states. There were widespread reports of crops affected by drought, frost and hailstorms. Victoria reported a decrease in apple production of 33% to 79,000 tonnes. New South Wales and South Australia reported similar decreases in apple production of 35% and 33%, respectively. However, more favourable conditions in Queensland, where increases in production were reported by some bigger orchardists, saw that state record an overall increase of 25% to 30,700 tonnes.

Pears

Preliminary estimates show the total number of pear trees decreased by 2.4% from the previous year to 2.0 million in 2003-04. The decrease was driven by the largest producing state, Victoria, which recorded a 4.4% reduction in the total number of pear trees, down to 1.6 million.

The total production of pears increased marginally from the previous year to 141,000 tonnes in 2003-04.


Table 1: Apples(a)

	Australia			2004p
	2002	2003	2004p	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
NUMBER OF TREES(b) ('000)
Trees under 1 year	324.0	364.9	270.6	37.2	133.7	15.2	46.9	10.5	27.0	n.c.	0.1
Trees 1 to 3 years	1,808.6	1,454.6	1,388.4	159.8	531.6	157.5	195.5	90.9	252.8	n.c.	0.4
Trees 4 years and over	8,070.3	8,391.3	8,731.4	1,706.8	2,695.2	979.8	1,112.3	939.6	1,293.7	n.c.	3.9
Total number of trees	10,202.9	10,210.8	10,390.4	1,903.8	3,360.5	1,152.5	1,354.7	1,041.0	1,573.4	n.c.	4.4
PRODUCTION OF FRUIT (fresh weight) ('000 t)
Total production	320.5	326.1	250.3	40.7	79.0	30.7	20.3	39.0	40.6	n.c.	0.1
Yield (kg/tree)(c)	39.7	38.9	28.7	23.8	29.3	31.3	18.2	41.5	31.4	n.c.	18.9
n.c. not collected (a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals. (b) Age categories were revised in 2002 in line with industry requirements. Previous splits were for trees under 1 year, trees 1 to 5 years and trees 6 years and over. (c) Yield represents the quantity of fruit produced per tree of bearing age, i.e. 4 years and over.

	Australia			2004p
	2002	2003	2004p	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
NUMBER OF TREES ('000)
Trees under 1 year	66.6	87.4	31.2	1.2	13.7	8.8	3.2	3.3	1.2	n.c.	-
Trees 1 to 5 years	229.4	268.0	296.9	3.6	209.3	0.8	18.8	56.3	8.1	n.c.	-
Trees 6 years and over	1,531.0	1,666.9	1,646.5	29.8	1,334.4	24.0	96.1	143.6	18.6	n.c.	0.1
Total number of trees	1,827.0	2,022.3	1,974.6	34.6	1,557.3	33.5	118.1	203.2	27.8	n.c.	0.1
PRODUCTION OF FRUIT (fresh weight) ('000 t)
Total production	147.5	139.7	141.0	0.8	123.2	0.9	5.7	9.5	0.9	n.c.	-
Yield (kg/tree)(b)	96.3	83.8	85.6	25.8	92.3	36.5	59.3	66.3	47.4	n.c.	22.5
- zero or rounded to zero n.c. not collected (a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals. (b) Yield represents the quantity of fruit produced per tree of bearing age, i.e. 6 years and over.