Esperance Region produced 267,000 tonnes of Canola in 2019-20

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6/07/2022
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Canola, experimental regional estimates using new data sources and methods, 2019-20 financial year

Australian canola growers produced over 2 million tonnes of canola in the 2019-20 financial year with a farm gate (local) value of $1.2 billion, according to new experimental estimates released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Rob Walter, Director of ABS Agricultural Statistical Solutions said: “the increased regional detail available through these new experimental estimates highlights the Esperance Region in Western Australia as the highest canola producing area in the country. The Esperance Region produced 267,000 tonnes of canola in 2019-20, more than twice the amount of canola produced by its nearest rival, the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia which produced 120,000 tonnes.”

These experimental estimates are the product of a collaboration using existing government and industry data in combination with satellite crop maps.

“This new method means that over time the ABS will be able to reduce the number of survey forms sent to farmers. This approach will also enable the ABS to release canola data at the Statistical Area 2 level more frequently, without the need to conduct the Agricultural Census” Mr Walter said.

An interactive canola map has been included with the main release, highlighting the largest canola producing regions across Australia. These are mostly distributed throughout Western Australia.

The ABS is extending this work to other agricultural commodities, building on previous experimental work with Sugarcane. We look forward to working with industry and government partners to continue adapting this approach.

Media notes

  • The interactive canola map will be available 24 hours after publication of the main release.
  • The experimental estimates on tonnes and value of canola harvested have been produced using administrative data sourced from the Grains Levy Payer Register and canola crop mapping from Digital Agriculture Services. The Levy data is collected on behalf of Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE).
  • The Grains Levy Payer Register contains details of the quantity and value of canola sold at the farm gate and business address information for all producers during the harvest period. This data was aggregated to produce regional Statistical Area Level 2 statistics, then validated against satellite derived crop maps identifying areas where canola was grown in 2019.
  • Statistical Areas are designed to reflect communities and labour markets. You can find clear depictions of different statistical areas using our ABS Maps tool online.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Media Team via media@abs.gov.au (8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri).
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