Queensland’s agriculture industry has maintained its production value despite five years of significant drought, according to a new report.
The Queensland AgTrends 2018–19 report has shown that production over the last year was in line with the five-year average, forecast to be around $18.54 billion.
Fruit and nuts have been forecast to increase in gross value of production (GVP) to $1.9 billion, five per cent higher than the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries final forecast for 2017-18.
The GVP for sugarcane for 2018-19 is forecast to be $1.036 billion, a drop of around 8 per cent lower than the previous year. The report adds the total revenue from the 2018-19 Queensland crop, in raw-sugar equivalent, is expected to be $1.58 billion.
Queensland’s 2018-19 sugarcane crop is forecast to be 31.4 million tonnes, around 900,000 tonnes lower that 2017-18. This is due to expected cooler and drier conditions estimated to suppress sugar cane growth. The report adds that increased sugar production from India and Pakistan is also expected to have an influence on the world sugar prices.
Grain sorghum’s GVP is forecast to double to $552 million, with the report estimating local and export demand for the crop to be high.
The forecasted GVP for wheat is expected to be just under $214 million for 2018-19, 24 per cent below the estimate made for 2017-18, and 37 per cent below the five-year average. The report estimates the decrease in GVP is due to significantly lower yields for 2018, despite a larger area sown and higher price per tonne.
Barley is expected to see a 21 per cent growth in its GVP to $41 million due to a forecast increase in price despite lower estimated production for the 2018 winter.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said Queensland’s primary industry products were doing well to maintain their value despite the challenges posed by the prolonged drought.
“Currently, 58.1 per cent of Queensland is officially drought-declared and the probability of exceeding median rainfall until January 2019 is low for much of Queensland,” Furner said.
“The continuing dry conditions are a major influence on the chance of exceeding median growth particularly for the major cropping regions and extensive grazing lands of the state.”
To support the agricultural sector, the Queensland Government has invested more than $670 million to help drought affected communities.
”We’re continuing to back our primary producers by helping them to innovate and grow, through initiatives such as Rural Economic Development grants and research conducted by the Drought and Climate Adaption Program,” Furner said.
The forecasts will be updated in April 2019.