|
|
| October 06, 2000 | Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST) | 131/2000 |
Australian farms are using information technology more
Australian farms are making greater use of information technology, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
- Almost half (49%) of 147,181 Australian farms with an estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) of $5,000 or more owned or used a computer at March 1999, a 27% increase over the number of farms using a computer at March 1998.
- Just under 18% of farms were using the Internet at March 1999, a 65% increase over the number a year before.
- Just under 4% of farms shopped on the Internet during the year to March 1999.
There was a strong relationship between farm size and the use of information technology, with the proportion of farms using computers and the Internet generally increasing with the level of EVAO.
- Computer use increased from 39% to 84% when comparing farms with an EVAO of less than $25,000 to those with an EVAO of $1 million or more.
- The pattern for Internet use was similar, with Internet use increasing from around 14% to 42% as the level of EVAO increased.
- Around 5% of farms with an EVAO of less than $25,000 shopped on the Internet. This was around double that for farms with an EVAO of between $25,000 and $249,999 where only 2% to 3% of farms had Internet shopping. This may be due to non-agricultural influences on the farms in the lowest EVAO category. However, for farms with an EVAO above $250,000, the proportion of farms undertaking Internet shopping rose in line with a higher EVAO (from 4% to 8%).
AUSTRALIAN FARMS USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BY SIZE OF FARM |
|
Farm size
(EVAO) | Number of farms
(no.) | Computer use
(%) | Internet use
(%) | Internet shopping
(%) |
 |
|
| Less than $25,000 | 34,792 | 39.0 | 14.6 | 5.0 |
| $25,000 - $49,999 | 18,680 | 39.8 | 15.6 | *2.8 |
| $50,000 - $99,999 | 23,815 | 41.3 | 13.5 | 2.4 |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 16,052 | 47.2 | 15.5 | *2.6 |
| $150,000 - $249,000 | 21,677 | 56.1 | 17.6 | 3.2 |
| $250,000 - $499,999 | 19,601 | 63.9 | 22.6 | 4.4 |
| $500,000 - $999,999 | 8,755 | 72.1 | 27.5 | 5.3 |
| $1 million or more | 3,810 | 84.1 | 41.6 | 8.3 |
| All farms | 147,181 | 49.3 | 17.6 | 3.8 |
|
Note: Percentages are of farms in relevant EVAO category.
* indicates that estimate has a relative standard error between 25% and 50%.
Further details (including levels of access by region) can be found in Use of Information Technology on Farms, Australia, 1998-99 (cat. no. 8150.0) available from ABS Bookshops. If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication, contact the ABS bookshop in your capital city.
|
|
Print Page
Print All