7121.0 - Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2009-10 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/04/2011   
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Image: Bananas HORTICULTURE


FRUIT

Citrus

In 2009-10 the total orange production increased 13% to 391,000 tonnes driven by increases in New South Wales and South Australia. The number of bearing orange trees increased slightly to 6.8 million trees.

Both mandarin production and the number of mandarin bearing trees were up in 2009-10, by 1% and 12% respectively. Production in Queensland was up by 11%. Increases in production in Queensland and South Australia were offset by large decreases in Western Australia and Victoria.


Pome

In 2009-10, apple producers reported a decrease of 142,000 bearing trees (2%) and total production fell by 10% to 264,000 tonnes. Production of pears fell 21% to 95,000 tonnes and the number of bearing trees decreased by 13% to 1.4 million trees.


Other fruit and nuts

Total banana production for 2009-10 increased by 12% to 302,000 tonnes. This was driven by increased production in Queensland, up by 13% from 2008-09. These increases bring production levels back in line with pre-2002 levels. The total area of bearing trees decreased by 4% to 12,000 hectares in 2009-10.

Mango production increased nationally in 2009-10 by 9% to 44,000 tonnes driven by a similar percentage increase in Queensland. The total number of trees decreased 12% to 1.2 million trees. The decrease in total tree numbers was driven in part by decreases in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

In 2009-10, macadamia production increased 6% nationally to 31,000 tonnes, driven by a 22% increase in Queensland's production. New South Wales accounted for 58% of Australia's total production of macadamias. The total number of production trees remained steady at 3.9 million.

YIELD, FRUIT AND NUTS - 2008-09 AND 2009-10
Graph: YIELD, FRUIT AND NUTS—2008–09 AND 2009–10



VEGETABLES

Carrots

The total area for carrots sown in 2009-10 increased by 6% to 5,500 hectares. Increased plantings in Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland were responsible for the overall rise in area sown. Nationally production, however, increased only slightly to 267,000 tonnes. Movements in production matched those for plantings in all states except Western Australia, down by 6%, which had reported poor conditions in some areas.


Mushrooms

Total production of mushrooms declined by 5% to 41,000 tonnes, driven by a 43% decrease in South Australian production. The total area sown to mushrooms also dropped, down by 13% to 139 hectares.


Onions

In 2009-10 decreases were reported nationally in the area of onions (down by 2% to 5,300 hectares) and production of onions (down by 8% to 260,000 tonnes). Despite most states reporting a decrease in production, onion production in Victoria rose by 26% in 2009-10 to 24,000 tonnes.


Potatoes

The total area sown to potatoes increased by 12% to 36,000 hectares in 2009-10 and production was also up by 8% to 1.3 million tonnes. New South Wales and Tasmania were the main contributors to the increases, with New South Wales in particular recovering from a wet 2009.


Tomatoes

The total area of tomatoes sown was up by 14% to 7,700 hectares in 2009-10 and total production increased by 7% to 472,000 tonnes. This national increase in production was driven by Victoria which increased its production by 17% to 286,000 tonnes and New South Wales, up by 100% to 55,000 tonnes.

YIELD, VEGETABLES - 2008-09 AND 2009-10
Graph: YIELD, VEGETABLES—2008–09 AND 2009–10