Queensland’s agriculture sector has broken another record valuation of $23.44 billion according to the latest AgTrends data.
The result for the 2022-23 financial year eclipses the previous record of $23.37 billion in 2021-22, and follows continued strong investment in agriculture by the Queensland Government.
The best performing commodities and local government areas for both size and fastest growth of Gross Value Production (GVP) in Queensland have been revealed.
Sugarcane and sugar processing reached a combined valuation of almost $2.5 billion, while the GVP of raw cotton soared 26.4% to over $1.5 billion.
Among the strongest growing commodities were Queensland’s world-class fresh produce, with apples, table grapes, pineapples, avocados, and bananas all in the top 10 for growth.
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By far the fastest growing region was the Lockyer Valley, the value of its ag sector surging, up nearly 42% on last year’s GVP off the back of strong recovery from the 2022 floods.
Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister and Rural Communities Minister Mark Furner said it’s no surprise the state’s agricultural sector is breaking records.
“Despite challenges presented by COVID and floods, our agribusinesses continue to go from strength to strength,” Furner said.
“We’re continuing to create jobs and back primary producers with sound investments through our Rural Economic Development (RED) Grants, which have supported about 2,500 jobs and provided about $12 million to our primary producers.”
Lockyer Valley primary producer and company director of Qualipac, Troy Qualischefski said the last 12 months of farming had its challenges, but there is growth in the industry.
“The thing I enjoy the most is to see some of our export customers come back that we had lost during the COVID years, so that gives us confidence to keep investing in the industry and keep employing people,” Qualischefski said.