The Mersey-Lyell Region continues to have Tasmania's largest number of agricultural establishments, (farm) with 37.9% of the state's 4,286 farms in 2000-01. This was followed by the Northern Region, with 35.8% of all farms, and the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, with 26.3%.
The Northern Region had Tasmania's largest area of holding, (farm size) in 2000-01, with 840,809 hectares or 44.1% of the state's total of 1,906,759 hectares. The Greater Hobart-Southern Region had 742,247 hectares, 38.9% of Tasmania's total, and the Mersey-Lyell Region had 323,703 hectares, 17.0% of the total.
The Greater Hobart-Southern Region had the largest average farm size, in 2001, with 659.2 hectares. This was followed by the Northern Region, with an average farm size of 548.1 hectares and the Mersey-Lyell Region with 199.1 hectares. The Tasmanian average farm size was 444.9 hectares in 2001.
AGRICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND AREA OF HOLDING, Tasmanian regions(a)
|
| | Agricultural establishments
| | Area of holding
| | Average area of holding |
| | 1997 | 2001 | | 1997 | 2001 | | 2001 |
| | | | | |
| | |
Region | no. | no. | | ha | ha | | ha |
|
Greater Hobart-Southern | 1,146 | 1,126 | | 723,377 | 742,247 | | 659.2 |
Northern | 1,605 | 1,534 | | 867,132 | 840,809 | | 548.1 |
Mersey-Lyell | 1,785 | 1,626 | | 329,439 | 323,703 | | 199.1 |
Tasmania | 4,536 | 4,286 | | 1,919,948 | 1,906,759 | | 444.9 |
(a) 1997 data relate to the year ended 31 March; 2001 data relate to the year ended 30 June.
Source: ABS data available on request, Agricultural Census.