INTRODUCTION
1 The value estimates in this publication are derived by the multiplication of price and quantity of agricultural commodities.
2 Price data refers to the average unit value of a given commodity realised in the market place. Price information for livestock slaughterings and wool is obtained from ABS collections. Price information for other commodities is obtained from non-ABS sources, including marketing authorities and industry sources.
3 Quantity data for crops, eggs, honey and beeswax have been collected via early estimates from the 2000-01 Agricultural Census. In 1998-99 and 1999-2000 this information was collected via the annual Agricultural Commodity Surveys. Remaining commodity data is obtained from other Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collections, with some information from external sources.
GENERAL
4 Where figures for individual States or Territories have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality, they have been included in relevant totals.
5 The estimates for earlier years shown in this publication have been revised where necessary.
6 Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.
PERIOD COVERED
7 The production statistics used in deriving the preliminary value estimates for 2000-01 and the final estimates for 1999-2000 relate to the years ended 30 June.
8 Prior to 1999-2000 the production of crops relates, in the main, to crops sown during the year ended 31 March, although for other commodities it refers to the year ended 30 June.
9 The method of collection of relevant prices for, and the costs of marketing agricultural commodities varies considerably between States and between commodities. Where a statutory authority handles marketing of the whole or a portion of a product, data are usually obtained from this source. Information is also obtained from marketing reports, wholesalers, brokers and auctioneers. For all commodities, values are in respect of production during the year (or season) irrespective of when payments are made. For that portion of production not marketed (e.g. hay grown on farm for own use, milk used in farm household, etc.), estimates are made from the best available information and, in general, are valued on a local value basis.
DEFINITION OF TERMS USED
10 The following are brief definitions of the terms used:
- Gross value of commodities produced is the value placed on recorded production at the wholesale prices realised in the market place.
- Market place, in general, is the metropolitan market in each State. In cases where commodities are consumed locally, or where they become raw material for a secondary industry, these points are presumed to be the market place.
- Livestock slaughterings and other disposals values are published as one figure but include two distinct components:
- value of livestock slaughtered; and
- value of net exports, i.e. the total value of livestock intended for slaughter in adjacent State(s) where available (at present these can only be identified between the Northern Territory and adjacent States) and livestock exported overseas whether for slaughter or breeding, minus the value of imports of livestock.
SAMPLE ERROR
11 The estimates of gross value for crops, eggs, honey and beeswax are based on production information provided by the initial respondents to the Agricultural Census. This group of initial respondents are considered to represent a suitable sample from which estimates may be made for commonly undertaken activities for the entire population. As a representative sample they are subject to sampling variability; that is, they may differ from the figures that would be produced when all establishments have been reported for in the Agricultural Census. One measure of the likely difference is given by the standard error (SE), which indicates the extent to which an estimate might have varied by chance because only a sample of establishments has been reported for. There are about two chances in three that a sample estimate will differ by less than one SE from the figure that would have been obtained if all establishments had been reported for, and about nineteen chances in twenty that the difference will be less than two SEs.
12 The estimates of gross value of livestock slaughterings and other disposals, wool and milk are based on data obtained from censuses and are, therefore, not subject to sampling variability.
13 In this publication, sampling variability of the estimates is measured by the relative standard error (RSE) which is obtained by expressing the SE as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers. Most published estimates have RSEs less than 5%. For some States with limited production of certain commodities, some RSEs are greater than 25%. If an estimate is identified by a single asterisk (e.g. *2) the RSE lies between 25% and 50%. If an estimate is identified by a double asterisk (i.e **) the RSE is above 50% and the estimate is not published. Separate indication of the RSEs of all estimates is available on request.
A table with RSEs for selected estimates of gross value follows.
RELATIVE STANDARD ERROR OF SELECTED GROSS VALUE STATISTICS - As at 30 June 2001
|
 | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | Aust. |
 | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
|
| Value of wheat for grain | 0.9 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 3.7 | . . | - | 0.4 |
| Value of barley for grain | 1.7 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 3.0 | . . | - | 0.5 |
| Value of grain sorghum | 3.5 | 23.0 | 2.1 | . . | 54.4 | . . | - | - | 1.9 |
| Value of apples | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . |
| Value of grapes | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . |
| Value of lupins for grain | 2.7 | 3.9 | 33.0 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 17.3 | . . | - | 1.2 |
| Value of canola | 1.5 | 1.5 | 23.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 9.7 | . . | - | 0.9 |
| Value of potatoes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 5.6 | 2.4 | - | - | 2.5 |
| Value of sugar cane | 2.2 | . . | 1.1 | . . | 6.0 | . . | . . | . . | 1.0 |
 | | | | | | | | | |
| Value of total crops | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Value of livestock slaughterings | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . |
| Value of livestock products | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | - | 10.4 | - | 0.1 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Value of total agriculture | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
|
ABS DATA AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
14 As well as the statistics included in this and related publications, the ABS may have other relevant data available on request. Inquiries should be made to either Geoff Ellerton on Hobart 03 6222 5856 or the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.
GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT
15 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
16 Users may also wish to refer to the following publications which are available on request:
- Agriculture, Australia (Cat. no. 7113.0)
- Agricultural Commodities, Australia (Cat. no. 7121.0)
- Agricultural Industries, Financial Statistics, Australia, Preliminary (Cat. no. 7506.0)
- Livestock Products, Australia (Cat. no. 7215.0)
- Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary (Cat. no. 7111.0)
17 Current publications produced by the ABS are listed in the Catalogue of Publications and Products (Cat. no. 1101.0). The ABS also issues, on Tuesdays and Fridays, a Release Advice (Cat. no. 1105.0) which lists publications to be released in the next few days. The Catalogue and Release Advice are available from any ABS office.
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