RECENT ECONOMIC STATISTICS
Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000-01 - 2007-08
Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000-01 - 2007-08 (cat. no. 4610.0.55.008) was released on 30 July 2010.
A Queensland data cube was added to this product on 3 August 2010.
Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (GVIAP) estimates have been a core component of the ABS Water Account (cat. no. 4610.0) which is produced every four years. Growing demand from policy-makers and other users has led to an increasing pressure on the ABS to produce more accurate and frequent estimates of GVIAP at a sub-state geographic level. This product presents the ABS response to these information needs.
Recently, the ABS developed an improved methodology for calculating GVIAP, which is described in the information paper Methods of estimating the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (cat. no. 4610.0.55.006). The experimental estimates presented here use this improved method.
GVIAP refers to the gross value of agricultural commodities that are produced with the assistance of irrigation. The gross value of commodities produced is the value placed on recorded production at the wholesale prices realised in the marketplace. Note that this definition of GVIAP does not refer to the value that irrigation adds to production, or the "net effect" that irrigation has on production - rather, it simply describes the gross value of agricultural commodities produced with the assistance of irrigation. GVIAP is not a measure of productivity.
For this reason, extreme care must be taken when attempting to use GVIAP figures to compare different commodities - that is, the gross value of irrigated production should not be used as a proxy for determining the highest value water uses. Rather, it is a more effective tool for measuring changes over time or comparing regional differences in irrigated agricultural production (see Explanatory Notes for more information).
In the first issue of this product, released in May 2009, tables relating to the reference period 2000-01 to 2006-07 were presented for Australia, States and Territories and the Murray-Darling Basin.
This second issue builds on the time series with the addition of 2007-08 data for Australia, States and Territories and the Murray-Darling Basin, as well as Natural Resource Management (NRM) region level data for 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.
Further, the GVAP (Gross Value of Agricultural Production, also referred to as VACP) and GVIAP estimates for 2005-06 and 2006-07 shown in this latest release have been revised where necessary, for example, when a new price becomes available for a commodity after the previous publication.
These estimates are presented in current prices, and therefore changes between years do not show the impact of changes in prices over time (see Explanatory Notes).
The ABS plans to release GVIAP estimates on an annual basis. It is anticipated that future issues of the product will include additional information including chain volume measures at the national level and some further regional breakdown.
ABS welcomes comments on these experimental estimates. Please contact Steven May on 02 6252 5593 or email <steven.may@abs.gov.au>.
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