7111.0 - Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary, 1999-2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/10/2000   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

MEDIA RELEASE

October 31, 2000
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
150/2000
Record wheat and canola crops: ABS

Wheat production increased by 17 per cent to a record 25 million tonnes in 1999/2000, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

Significant increases in wheat production were recorded in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia (which reported a state record harvest of 9.2 million tonnes). Wheat plantings were up by 7 per cent to 12.3 million hectares with the main increases recorded in New South Wales and Victoria.

Canola also had another record year in which plantings rose by 54 per cent to 1.9 million hectares and production rose by 44 per cent to 2.4 million tonnes. Significant increases were recorded in all major growing states. Western Australia was the largest canola producing State and recorded the biggest increase, with area sown up by 70 per cent to 909,000 hectares and quantity harvested up by 61 per cent to 989,000 tonnes.

In addition, beef cattle numbers showed signs of recovery from the drop during the previous year, with the herd estimated at 23.6 million head at 30 June 2000. Sheep and lamb numbers remained steady at approximately 116 million at 30 June 2000.

Conversely, preliminary estimates indicated a slight drop in dairy cattle numbers with 3.1 million cattle recorded at 30 June 2000. This was the result of a drop in the estimated number of dairy bulls, heifers and calves as the number of cows remained mainly unchanged.

Pig numbers fell by 7 per cent to 2.4 million head at 30 June 2000 with falls reported in all states.

Details are in Principal Agricultural Commodities Australia (Preliminary) 1999–00 (cat. no. 7111.0) available from ABS bookshops in all capital cities. The summary of the publication can be found on this site. If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication, contact the ABS Bookshop in your capital city.