MEDIA RELEASE
21 February 2011	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	21/2011

Reduced prices for major crops and livestock products led to a 6% fall in the overall value of agricultural production in 2009-10, according to preliminary figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

Preliminary figures place the value of agriculture production for 2009-10 at $39.5 billion.

Significant falls in the value of major cereal crops saw the total value of crops down to $21.1 billion, a drop of 7% in 2009-10.

The value of livestock products decreased to $5.7 billion in the same period, a fall of 9%, due to significant decreases to the value of milk.

The value of livestock slaughtered fell by 1%, with increases in the value of sheep, lambs and pigs offsetting decreases in the value of cattle, calves and poultry.

Key crop movements:

• wheat, down 20% to $4.8 billion
• grain sorghum, down 42% to $323.2 million
• barley for grain, down 27% to $1.4 billion
• oats, down 25% to $187.5 million
• sugarcane for crushing, up 35% to $1.4 billion
• cotton, up 24% to $805.6 million

Key livestock and livestock product movements:

• eggs, down 18% to $365.4 million
• milk, down 16% to $3.4 billion
• poultry, down 4% to $1.8 billion
• wool, up 7% to $1.9 billion
• sheep and lambs, up 5% to $2.6 billion

Further details are in Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 7501.0)

Media notes:

• Additional related data will be released in May 2011 in Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia (cat. no. 7503.0).
• The Agricultural Census will be run in 2011. The information collected from the farming community via the Census will play a vital role in supporting the development and monitoring of Australia's agricultural, natural resource and water policies. Find out more.
• Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) as the source.