Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

There were an estimated 13,592 businesses with agricultural activity recorded in Western Australia at 30 June 2007. The majority of businesses with agricultural activity were engaged in beef cattle farming, with an estimated 2,545 engaged in this as their main activity. An estimated 96.7 million hectares or 38% of Western Australia's land area (253 million hectares) was used for agricultural activity in 2006-07. Just under 7.0% of Western Australia's agricultural land was used for cropping.

Industry	Number
Beef cattle farming (specialised)	2 545
Grain-sheep/grain-beef cattle farming	2 461
Grain growing	2 218
Sheep farming (specialised)	1 487
Grape growing	552
Sheep/beef cattle farming	^523
All other industries	3 806
Total all industries	13 592

^ estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution.
(a) Refers to farm establishments with an estimated value of agricultural operations of $5,000 or more.
Source: Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0).


In Western Australia, the main broadacre crops grown are wheat and barley.

Fruit production is largely confined to the South West, Perth and Midlands Statistical Divisions. Apples are Western Australia's main orchard fruit crop; oranges are the predominant citrus fruit grown. The main vegetable crops grown are carrots and potatoes.

Pastoral activities, particularly sheep grazing, are widespread in Western Australia. The main livestock raised are cattle for beef production, and sheep for meat and fine wool.

	Production '000 t		Area '000 ha		Yield t/ha
Wheat	5 134		4 037		1.3
Barley	1 808		1 083		1.7
Potatoes	79		^2		^41.2
Apples	32		(a)854		(b)37.4
Carrots	^48		^1		^50.8

^ estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution.
(a) Thousands of trees four years and over.
(b) Yield equals kg/tree and is based on the number of trees 4 years and over.
Source: Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0).


In 2006-07, the gross value of agricultural production for Western Australia was $5.0 billion, a decrease of 13.9% on 2005-06. Crop production contributed $3,120.2 million or 62.5% of the total value of agricultural production, while livestock slaughterings and disposals were valued at $1 170.6 million (23.5%) and livestock products were valued at $698.0 million or 14.0% of the total value of agricultural production.

	Total crops(a) ($m)	Total livestock slaughterings & other disposals ($m)	Total livestock products ($m)	Total agriculture ($m)
2005-06	3 930.3	1 213.4	649.6	5 793.3
2006-07	3 120.2	1 170.6	698.0	4 988.7

(a) Includes pastures and grasses, vegetables, fruit and nuts.
Source: Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia (cat. no. 7503.0).

This section contains the following subsection :

Agriculture and the economy

Livestock and Livestock products

Land management and water use

Fruit

Broadacre crops

Vegetables

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