EXPLANATORY NOTES


INTRODUCTION

1 This publication contains preliminary estimates from the 2013-14 Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced (VACP) Collection.

2 The VACP collection values the annual production of agricultural commodities.

VACP has three major categories:

• the value of crop production
• the value of livestock disposals (domestic slaughtering and exports of live animals)
• the value of livestock products (including wool, eggs and whole milk)

3 Estimates for rice, cotton, sugar cane cut for crushing, apples, grapes, hay, potatoes and tomatoes have not been included in this preliminary release, but will be available when final estimates are released in mid-2015. To enable data comparability between the 2013-14 period and previous years, only like items have been published in this preliminary release. As a result, 'Total crops', 'Total livestock slaughtering and other disposals' and 'Total agriculture' estimates for the 2012-13 period in this release may differ from those previously published.

4 The value estimates in this publication are derived by the multiplication of price and quantity of production estimates of agricultural commodities.

5 Quantity data for most crops have been sourced from the 2013-14 Rural Environment and Agricultural Commodities Survey (REACS). Remaining commodity data (livestock disposals and livestock products excluding eggs) are obtained from other Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collections, with some information sourced from non-ABS sources.

6 Price data refers to the average unit value of a given commodity realised in the market place. Price information is obtained from ABS collections, as well as from non-ABS sources, including marketing authorities and industry sources.

7 The production statistics used in deriving the preliminary value estimates for 2013-14 and estimates for 2012-13 relate to the years ended 30 June. Estimates for 2013-14 are preliminary and may be subject to revision.

8 The method of collection of relevant prices and the costs of marketing for agricultural commodities varies considerably between states/territories 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, estimates are made from the best available information and, in general, are calculated on a local value basis.


SAMPLE ERROR

9 The estimates in this publication are based on information obtained from a sample drawn from the total agricultural business population in scope of the collection, and are subject to sampling variability; that is, they may differ from the figures that would have been produced if all businesses had been included in the survey.

10 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 was taken or received. 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 responded or been reported for, and about nineteen chances in twenty that the difference will be less than two SEs.

11 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 10%. For some states with limited production of certain commodities, RSEs are greater than 10%. Estimates that have an estimated relative standard error between 10% and 25% should be used with caution as they are subject to sampling variability too high for some purposes. Estimates with an RSE between 25% and 50% should also be used with caution as they are subject to sampling variability too high for most practical purposes. Estimates with an RSE greater than 50% indicate that the sampling variability causes the estimates to be considered too unreliable for general use. Separate indication of the RSEs of all estimates is available on request.

12 A table with RSEs for selected estimates of gross values follows:

RELATIVE STANDARD ERRORS, Gross values of selected commodities - Year ended 30 June 2014
	Aust.	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Barley	1.7	3.2	4.4	8.8	3.8	3.3	17.7	-	-
Wheat	1.3	2.0	3.9	5.6	3.2	2.3	12.9	-	-
Canola	2.0	3.0	5.4	28.1	5.8	3.3	15.2	-	-
Sorghum	4.9	9.5	40.5	5.3	-	-	-	-	-
Total livestock and other disposals	1.6	2.0	1.8	4.6	2.1	2.2	5.0	3.4	3.0
Total livestock products	2.0	2.5	3.8	6.8	4.2	3.1	5.8	31.2	3.4
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

ROUNDING AND CONFIDENTIALISATION

13 Where figures for individual states or territories have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality, they have been included in relevant totals.

14 Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.


RELATED PUBLICATIONS

15 The full range of final estimates from the 2013-14 VACP Collection will be published in Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia (cat. no. 7503.0) from mid-2015.

Preliminary quantity and production estimates from the 2013-14 REACS are available at the same time as preliminary 2013-14 VACP estimates. These estimates are located in Preliminary Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7111.0). The full range of final quantity and production estimates from the 2013-14 REACS will also be published from mid-2015, in Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0).

16 Current publications and other products released by the ABS are listed under the Statistics page on the ABS website. The ABS also issues a daily Release Advice on the website which details products to be released in the week ahead.


ABS DATA AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

17 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 the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.


GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

18 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.