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This publication contains preliminary estimates of principal agricultural commodities and livestock numbers for the 2001-02 season, intended ewe matings for the forthcoming season, and comparative data for the previous year. These results are based on a response rate of approximately 62% of establishments from the 2002 Agricultural Commodity Survey. Please note that these data apply to the year ended 30 June 2002, and therefore do not reflect the impact of the drought which has affected most areas of Australia since that time.


KEY POINTS


Crops

Prelimary estimates for 2001-02 show that the estimated area of wheat sown in Australia during 2001-02 was 11.6 million hectares, a drop of 4% compared with 2000-01 (12.1 million hectares). Production of wheat increased by 12% to 24.9 million tonnes in 2001-02 (22.1 million tonnes in 2000-01). This rise in production was largely due to a 36% increase in production recorded in Western Australia.

The total area of barley planted for grain increased by 8% from 3.5 million hectares in 2000-01 to 3.7 million hectares in 2001-02. Increases were recorded in all mainland states apart from Queensland. Barley production increased by 25% to 8.4 million tonnes in 2001-02. Significant increases in production were recorded in South Australia (25%) and Western Australia (65%).

The area planted to canola in Australia fell by 7%, from 1.5 million hectares in 2000-01 to 1.4 million hectares in 2001-02. This was mainly due to a large decrease in plantings in Western Australia (21%). Production of canola remained virtually unchanged from the previous year.


Livestock

MILK CATTLE
Preliminary estimates of milk cattle numbers indicate a fall in the national herd, with numbers down by 4% to 3.1 million cattle at 30 June 2002. Decreases were recorded in all states. Victoria continued to dominate the industry with 1.9 million milk cattle, or 63% of the nation's herd.

MEAT CATTLE
Preliminary estimates indicate a turnaround in the recent growth in meat cattle numbers with the national herd estimated to have fallen slightly to 24.2 million head at 30 June 2002. The Queensland meat cattle herd of 10.9 million head represented 45% of the total herd, while the New South Wales herd of 5.6 million head represented 23% of the total herd.

SHEEP AND LAMBS
Preliminary estimates indicate the size of the sheep and lamb flock was 108.6 million at 30 June 2002. This was down 2% from the previous year.

The number of ewes intended to be mated during the year ended 30 June 2003 was estimated to be 47.6 million head. Actual matings for the year ended 30 June 2002 (46.5 million) were 1% lower than actual matings reported the previous year.

There were 38.5 million lambs marked during the year, which was little changed from the previous year.

PIGS
Preliminary estimates show a 5% rise in pig numbers to 2.9 million head at 30 June 2002 with large increases in Victoria (18%) and Western Australia (25%).

	Australia			2002p
	2001	2002p		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
WHEAT FOR GRAIN
Area ('000 ha)	12,141	11,597		3,498	1,137	615	1,962	4,380	6	(a)	**
Production ('000 t)	22,108	24,854		8,257	2,812	929	4,897	7,931	27	(a)	**
OATS FOR GRAIN
Area ('000 ha)	650	773		236	144	10	86	292	6	(a)	-
Production ('000 t)	1,050	1,439		331	352	6	171	567	12	(a)	-
BARLEY FOR GRAIN
Area ('000 ha)	3,454	3,724		659	707	96	1,181	1,074	7	(a)	n.a.
Production ('000 t)	6,743	8,423		1,389	1,692	184	2,891	2,243	25	(a)	n.a.
LUPINS FOR GRAIN
Area ('000 ha)	1,180	1,142		102	33	-	83	924	*-	(a)	n.a.
Production ('000 t)	1,055	1,220		125	42	-	156	896	*1	(a)	n.a.
CANOLA
Area ('000 ha)	1,459	1,364		536	247	*1	170	409	1	(a)	-
Production ('000 t)	1,775	1,797		716	355	*1	285	439	1	(a)	-
COTTON LINT
Area ('000 ha)	536	438		290	(a)	147	(a)	1	(a)	(a)	(a)
Production ('000 t)	666	624		450	(a)	173	(a)	-	(a)	(a)	(a)
CEREALS FOR HAY
Area ('000 ha)	419	442		66	48	47	113	166	1	-	n.a.
Production ('000 t)	1,657	1,791		195	208	115	539	730	5	-	n.a.
SUGAR CANE CUT FOR CRUSHING
Area ('000 ha)	403	434		24	(a)	407	(a)	3	(a)	(a)	(a)
Production ('000 t)	28,117	32,567		2,891	(a)	29,367	(a)	308	(a)	(a)	(a)
GRAIN SORGHUM
Area ('000 ha)	758	858		263	**	589	(a)	**	(a)	-	n.a.
Production ('000 t)	1,935	2,129		785	*6	1,331	(a)	**	(a)	1	n.a.

		Australia									2002p
	2001	2002p		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
MILK CATTLE (a)
Cows in milk and dry ('000)	2,176	2,123		264	1,363	174	110	75	134	2	-
Other milk cattle ('000)	1,041	978		145	581	85	56	50	61	-	-
Total milk cattle ('000)	3,217	3,101		409	1,945	259	166	125	195	2	-
MEAT CATTLE
Bull and bull calves intended for service ('000)	591	623		177	55	249	31	53	12	47	-
Other calves under one year ('000)	6,083	5,655		1,333	751	2,255	314	533	113	352	3
Cows and heifers one year and over ('000)	12,007	12,386		2,854	1,229	5,542	552	1,057	199	948	5
Other cattle one year and over ('000)	5,823	5,505		1,190	487	2,824	214	395	101	294	1
Total meat cattle and calves ('000)	24,504	24,169		5,555	2,522	10,869	1,111	2,038	425	1,641	9
SHEEP AND LAMBS
Sheep ('000)	82,958	79,669		28,455	16,301	6,091	9,261	16,844	2,643	(b)	73
Lambs under one year ('000)	27,969	28,925		10,380	5,824	914	4,161	6,865	762	(b)	19
Total sheep and lambs ('000)	110,928	108,594		38,835	22,125	7,005	13,422	23,709	3,406	**	92
LAMBING
Ewes actually mated ('000) (c)	47,012	46,532		17,135	9,333	2,293	6,015	10,374	1,353	(b)	28
Lambs marked ('000)	38,227	38,549		14,361	8,114	1,133	5,279	8,472	1,170	(b)	20
Proportion of lambs marked to ewes mated (%)	81.3	82.8		83.8	86.9	49.4	87.8	81.7	86.5	. .	71.4
Ewes intended to be mated ('000) (d)	48,479	47,610		16,917	9,373	2,636	6,094	11,082	1,476	(b)	33
PIGS
Total pigs ('000)	2,748	2,881		817	658	617	409	358	19	3	(b)