Curious about the agriculture industry? Australia has a thriving agricultural scene – from small hobby farms to sprawling acres of crop, there is so much variation within the industry. When about half of the continent’s landmass is utilised for cultivating crop and livestock, it’s safe to say pretty much every Australian has had some exposure to farm life.
If you want to know more about the industry, we’ve put together 6 Aussie agriculture facts that you may find interesting:
Australian farmers are among the most independent producers in the world.
Australian farmers are some of the most self-sufficient and rely significantly less on government funding compared to other countries. Australian farmers are subsidised for just 3% of their farming income. In comparison, Norway’s agricultural industry receives support which equals about 61% of its annual revenue. Korea gets 52%, China 21% and the United States 9%.
Farmland takes up 58% of the Australian landmass, and 2.2% of the population are employed in the industry.
Land used for agriculture takes up 427 million hectares of the continent. According to research by the ABS in 2016, 99% of that land is owned and operated by Australian families.
In 2016, 228,372 people were directly employed in the industry, from that, the median age of agriculture industry workers was 49.
Agriculture uses more than half of Australia’s annual water consumption – but the industry is one of the most resourceful with water use.
Irrigation systems cover 5% of tiled agricultural land and produce 30% of all harvest. The Australian agriculture industry uses 50-70% of Australia’s annual water consumption. About 8 million megalitres of water are used in agricultural production annually.
Still, Australian farmers are experts at water management. Australian cotton and grain growers have improved their water efficiency by about 50% in the past three decades. Cotton has improved water efficiency by 48% and grain by up to 100%.
77% of Australia’s agriculture profit comes from exports.
From the $58.1 billion worth of food produced by Australian farmers in 2015-16, $44.8 billion was exported.
Australian Farmers are trailblazing to be carbon neutral by 2050
Australia’s red meat industry aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, which will be world-leading if achieved.
The agricultural industry as a whole is targeting a net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050.
Wheat is Australia’s king crop, and Cattle is the leading livestock
In the 2018-19 year, wheat produced $6 billion, followed by fruit and nuts with $5 billion and vegetables for $4 billion.
Cattle was the most profitable livestock, producing $3 billion, followed by sheep with $1.1 billion and poultry on $735 million.
It takes a lot of hardwork and dedication to run an Aussie farm, but the end result is well worth it. We hope these Aussie agriculture facts helped you learn something. When it comes to managing an agricultural lifestyle and business, Global Rotomoulding has extensive experience. Our huge range of products; from water storage tanks to fertiliser tanks, help you get the job done, even if you’re investing your time in more obscure crops. Be sure to have a chat with our friendly team for more information.
