NOTES
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
This publication contains preliminary estimates of the gross values of production for principal agricultural commodities for all states, territories and Australia.
The ABS plans to release second (or near final) estimates of gross value of production of selected commodities in Value of Selected Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary, cat. no. 7502.0 in early September 2007.
The final estimates will be released in Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, cat. no. 7503.0 in January 2008.
CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE
Move to a new register of agricultural businesses
Until recently, the ABS had maintained its own register of agricultural establishments. However, it had become increasingly difficult to maintain this list, and users were questioning the accuracy of some of the commodity data published. The ABS investigated a number of alternatives for maintaining the register and it was agreed that the ABS should move to a new frame sourced from the Australian Taxation Office's Australian Business Register (ABR).
The ABR-based frame has been used for the first time to conduct the 2005-06 Agricultural Census. An implication of this strategy is that Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced (VACP) data are not directly comparable with historical time series for most crops and for eggs. This is because, in addition to the change in frame, there have been changes in methodologies used for determining whether agricultural businesses are 'in-scope' of the collection and in some of the ways the data are compiled. (For more information, please see the technical note on page 10.)
To provide users with a way of comparing the 2005-06 VACP data with the historical time series, the ABS has prepared two sets of 2005-06 estimates. 'New-basis' estimates have been prepared using the new ABR-based register and its associated statistical methodologies. These methodologies have been subjected to rigorous analysis and testing, with the resulting 'new basis' estimates representing the start of a new commodity and livestock series. 'Old-basis' estimates have been prepared to provide a best judgement approximation to what the various estimates may have been if the ABS had continued to use the previous ABS-maintained list of establishments (with its associated statistical methodologies) to conduct the 2005-06 Agricultural Census. Due to the complexities involved in collecting, processing and estimating 'old basis' data from a 'new-basis' framework, the 'old-basis' 2005-06 estimates and the movements between 2004-05 and 2005-06 should be considered indicative only.
Value of hay
The 2004-05 Agricultural Survey included separate questions about production of pastures and grasses cut for hay, and other crops for hay. The 2005-06 Agricultural Census asked only the total production of all crops for hay. An estimated average hay price has been applied to total hay production to derive the value of all crops for hay.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Geoff Ellerton on Hobart (03) 6222 5856.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
NATIONAL ESTIMATES
The preliminary estimate of the gross Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced (VACP) for Australia in 2005-06 was $37.3 billion. Nationally, the largest contributors were slaughtering and other disposals of cattle and calves ($7.7 billion), wheat for grain ($5.1 billion) and whole milk ($3.3 billion).
Gross Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced: Preliminary - 2005-06
Crops
In 2005-06, the preliminary estimate of the gross value of all crops was $19.6 billion. The highest contributors were wheat for grain ($5.1 billion), barley, hay and grapes (each worth $1.4 billion) and sugar cane ($1.1 billion).
Average prices increased moderately for wheat (up by 2%) and hay (up by 3%) in 2005-06. The average prices of sugar cane and sorghum both increased by 7%, while the average price of oats increased by 8% and canola's average price rose by 4%.
However, the average price of rice and barley fell significantly (down by 12% and 6% respectively) while the average cotton price decreased marginally (by 1%) over the same period.
The value of grape production decreased by 10% to $1.4 billion as production fell by 2% and the average price declined by 8% due to excess supply of wine grapes. Production of apples fell by 15% and average prices decreased by 16%, resulting in a 29% decrease in value of production to $374 million in 2005-06.
Livestock slaughterings and other disposals
In 2005-06, the preliminary estimate of the gross value of livestock slaughterings and other disposals was $12.0 billion, a fall of less than 1% from the previous year.
The value of cattle and calf slaughterings and other disposals fell by 2% to $7.7 billion. The total number of cattle and calf disposals in 2005-06 fell by 4%. Average prices rose by 3%, which was not enough to offset the fall in cattle and calf numbers.
The gross total value of sheep and lamb slaughterings and other disposals rose by $164 million (or 8%) to $2.1 billion in 2005-06. Although the total number of sheep and lamb disposals increased by 9%, average prices were little changed, resulting in a net 8% increase in value. The value of domestic slaughterings of sheep and lambs increased by 4% to $1.8 billion, with a 6% rise in the number slaughtered slightly offset by a small decrease in average prices (down 1%). The value of Australian live sheep and lamb exports (other disposals) increased by 41% to $298 million, as the number exported rose by 31% and the average price increased by 7%.
In 2005-06, the gross total value of pigs slaughterings and other disposals fell by 2% to $889 million, with the number of total disposals remaining steady and average prices decreasing by 2%.
The gross value of total poultry disposals fell by 6% to $1.2 billion as production increased marginally (by less than 1%) and prices fell by 6% in 2005-06.
Livestock products
The preliminary estimate of the gross value of livestock products in 2005-06 was $5.8 billion.
The value of total wool production fell by $103 million (or 5%) to $2.1 billion, as the average price fell by 7% and production increased by 3%. The production of shorn wool rose by 2% while production of skin wool increased by 7% as more sheep and lambs were slaughtered in 2005-06.
The gross value of wholemilk increased by $149 million (or 5%) to $3.3 billion in 2005-06. Production fell marginally (by less than 1%) due to residual drought conditions, but average prices increased by 5%.
Production of eggs was collected in the 2005-06 Agricultural Census and consequently the figures are not directly comparable with previous years. In 2005-06, the gross value of Australian egg production in 2005-06 was estimated to be $382 million. Average egg prices decreased by 10% in the same period.
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