In 2024, the gross value added (GVA) of the agriculture industry in Australia amounted to around 63.8 billion Australian dollars. The country produces and exports a diverse range of agricultural products including cattle, wheat, and milk, making agriculture an important economic sector of Australia.

This report describes a newly proposed method and dataset used by ABARES to measure output, input and total factor productivity in the Australian agriculture industry. We apply recently-developed statistical methods to a novel dataset, compiled from Australia's national account statistics and farm surveys. \r \r The results show agricultural productivity grew at 2.0 per cent a year between 1948-49 and 2013-14. This work provides a unique measure of the productivity performance of Australia's agriculture industry over time, and thereby provides insight into trends in farm performance and the effects of policy reforms.

As of July 2025, Elders Limited was the leading agricultural product company on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with a market cap of **** billion Australian dollars. The previous leading agricultural product company, Costa Group, was delisted from the ASX earlier in 2024 after being bought out by a North American-based consortium made up of Paine Schwartz Partners, Driscoll’s Inc, and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation. Major agricultural exporter Despite its relatively small contribution to the country’s total GDP, agriculture remains a crucial economic sector in Australia, with agricultural commodities trade forming a notable share of Australia’s total exports value each year. While the value of agricultural exports from Australia declined in 2021, the industry grew substantially in 2022 and 2023. Australia’s agriculture industry has remained resilient, as the Australian Government has continued investing in agricultural development and food security. Market leader Elders Limited Founded in 1839 in South Australia, Elders Limited, now among Australia’s most trusted agribusinesses, mainly operates in the Branch Network, Wholesale Products, and Feed and Processing Services segments. Elders Ltd supports primary producers in Australia and New Zealand throughout the production cycle by offering an array of agricultural products and financial services, including farm supplies, technical services, insurance, real estate, as well as agency services involving wool, grain, and livestock. In 2024, Elders Ltd reported a sales revenue of over *** billion Australian dollars.

In fiscal year 2025, Australia was projected to export agricultural products, including crops and livestock, worth approximately ******billion Australian dollars. This figure was forecast to decline to around ***** billion Australian dollars in financial year 2026. Crop industry in Australia The crop industry in Australia plays a vital role in the country's agricultural sector, contributing significantly to both domestic production and exports. In fiscal year 2025, the value of Australia's crop exports was estimated to exceed ** billion Australian dollars. Australia is one of the leading wheat producers worldwide. In fiscal year 2025, wheat crop production surpassed 34 thousand kilotons. To meet the growing demand, the industry is adopting innovative technologies and sustainable farming practices to improve efficiency and reduce waste. The government provides support through subsidies and investment in research and development, ensuring the industry remains competitive. Livestock production in Australia Livestock production is a major industry in Australia's agricultural sector, with the production value of livestock in Australia in the tens of billions of Australian dollars. The industry supports the local market and contributes to international trade, making Australia a major player in the global livestock market. Beef and veal were Australia's top agricultural exports. Overall, Australia's livestock exports were forecast to reach over ** billion Australian dollars in fiscal year 2025.

Australia Employment: Trend: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing data was reported at 292.584 Person th in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 304.784 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Trend: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing data is updated quarterly, averaging 355.657 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 438.147 Person th in Nov 2001 and a record low of 292.584 Person th in Feb 2025. Australia Employment: Trend: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G021: Employment: by Industry.

The Australia Agricultural Machinery Market Report is Segmented by Machinery Type (Tractors, Ploughing and Cultivating Machinery, Planting Machinery, Harvesting Machinery, Haying and Forage Machinery, Irrigation Machinery, Other Types). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Abstract

The main purpose of the Agricultural Census (AC) is to provide benchmark information on the agriculture industry for small geographic areas. Furthermore, it is designed to support decision making and analysis by a wide variety of stakeholders across government, industry, the research sector and wider community by providing comprehensive high quality agricultural commodity production and activity data (including area and production for crops and area irrigated, number of livestock and number of producers for each commodity) at low levels of geographic disaggregation. The AC also enables updates to core statistical infrastructure as well as being the major source of commodity data used in the calculation of Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced (VACP), which is used as an input to the Australian National Accounts. Outputs from the AC include statistics on land and water use, crop and horticultural area and production, livestock numbers and farm management and demographic information undertaken by businesses in Australia, while data is produced at national, state, and sub-state levels.

Geographic coverage

The AC 2020/2021 covered the entire territory of Australia.

Analysis unit

Agricultural holdings

Universe

The statistical unit for the AC 2020/2021 was a "business", identified by its Australian Business Number (ABN), and a geographic split was applied for ABNs operating over multiple locations. Units were identified as undertaking agricultural activity if any of the primary or secondary productive activities of those businesses fall within the Agriculture Subdivision (Subdivision 01), as defined by the 2006 edition of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).

The coverage of the AC 2020/2021 included all businesses undertaking agricultural activity recorded on the ABS Business Register with size above the cut-off of AUD 40 000. The measure of size was based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated Value of Agricultural Operations (EVAO). Note that for previous ABS Rural Environment and Agricultural Collections a scope of EVAO of $5,000 or greater was used. The change in scope better aligns this collection with contemporary definitions of an agricultural business and reduces the overall reporting load for smaller agricultural businesses.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Sampling procedure

The AC 2020/2021 was conducted through complete enumeration of agricultural businesses listed on the ABSBR that met the cut-off threshold.

The frame used for the AC 2020/2021 was drawn from the ABS Business Register (ABSBR), which is based on the Australian Business Register (ABR). Businesses and organizations are included on the ABR when they register with the Australian Taxation Office for an Australian Business Number (ABN). The ABSBR has been used for ABS agricultural collections since 2005/2006.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI)

Research instrument

Data was collected using one single questionnaire. The AC 2020/2021 covered 11 out of the 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020.

Cleaning operations

Survey responses were checked for completeness, coherence, and accuracy. Where possible, follow-up contact was made with agricultural businesses to resolve reporting problems.

For item nonresponse, imputation was applied using historical data or information from similar agricultural businesses that had responded. In cases of unit nonresponse, weighting methods were used to compensate for these non-sampling errors. Data was then aggregated and weighted to account for nonresponse and ABSBR coverage error.

Data was edited using ABS designed and built imputation and estimation processes which accessed oracle servers on which input data was stored. SAS was the primary tool for analyzing responses and to identify anomalies. Blaise was used to directly edit respondent data when correcting anomalies.

Before finalizing statistics, estimates were compared against and may be adjusted to better align with other information sources including: other ABS surveys; administrative data, including data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the then Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment; industry estimates and expectations; and reports on rainfall, temperature, climatic events, and natural disasters.

DATA PROCESSING NOTES The ABS distributed statistical processing activities across specialist processing and support areas located in a number of Australian state offices of the ABS.

Direct data capture was ensured by the CAWI method. Whereas paper questionnaires were processed using optical character recognition (OCR) to extract data.

Response rate

A response rate of 85.4 percent was reported.

In financial year 2024, the value of agricultural exports from Australia to China was ***** billion Australian dollars. Comparatively, the value of agricultural exports from Australia to New Zealand was *** billion Australian dollars in that financial year.

Overview
Australia's agricultural industries 2016 map provides a snapshot of agriculture's status and trend. It shows where Australia's broad agricultural land uses are located and statistics on their area and land tenure. The map reports on the top 5 livestock, crop and horticulture commodities based on gross value of production. Trends in agricultural production, employment and exports are also given including for Australia's top 5 export commodities and destinations.

The map presents information in a simple and easy to understand manner and provides a useful resource for planning and regional development.

NOTE: Map revised October 2017 (v1.1.1). Update revises the area of almonds and includes a note on the scope of the Agricultural survey data.

In financial year 2023, the energy intensity of the agriculture industry in Australia was 2,771 gigajoules per million Australian Gross Value Added output. Energy intensity is a measure of the energy consumed to produce one unit of output.

Employment: Full Time: Australia: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing data was reported at 214.561 Person th in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 218.691 Person th for Nov 2024. Employment: Full Time: Australia: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing data is updated quarterly, averaging 267.077 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 352.290 Person th in May 1990 and a record low of 206.452 Person th in Aug 2013. Employment: Full Time: Australia: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G022: Employment: by State and by Industry.

Australia Employment: Part Time: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing: Support Services data was reported at 8.212 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.211 Person th for Nov 2024. Australia Employment: Part Time: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing: Support Services data is updated quarterly, averaging 4.129 Person th from Nov 1984 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 162 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.694 Person th in Feb 2024 and a record low of 1.312 Person th in Aug 1988. Australia Employment: Part Time: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing: Support Services data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G025: Employment: by Sex and by Industry: Part Time.

Agricultural machinery manufacturers have faced fluctuations in demand in recent years as the industry remains highly sensitive to agricultural conditions and farmer investment cycles. Heightened rainfall over the three years through 2022-23 drove up sales to downstream markets, particularly farmers who needed agricultural machinery to accommodate higher crop output. The onset of El Niño conditions in 2023-24 then reduced annual rainfall levels, weakening crop production and ultimately reducing requirements for agricultural machinery. Overall, industry revenue is anticipated to have inched downwards at an annualised 0.5% over the five years through 2025-26. Climbing interest rates have tempered private capital expenditure on agricultural machinery as government tax reliefs to incentivise spending ended. Unfavourable conditions in downstream markets have contributed to an expected decline in industry by 1.2% in 2025-26, when revenue will total an estimated $3.13 as farm income slumps. Import competition has continued intensifying over the long term. Overseas manufacturers that benefit from lower overhead costs and extensive economies of scale have boosted imports, exerting price pressure on local manufacturers and constraining profitability. Established brands with advanced manufacturing systems have ensured that import competition remains fierce, especially for standardised products like tractors. Domestic agricultural machinery manufacturers are shifting towards creating niche and value-added products to counteract these pressures. Unable to compete on standardised machinery, Australian manufacturers have created a market of modifications, where they tailor international products to be more durable to the harsh Australian climate. The differentiation has given manufacturers more control over price, stabilising profit margins. Volatile operating conditions will remain a defining feature of agricultural machinery manufacturing because of the unpredictable markets and weather factors that influence agricultural production. Expanding farm incomes are poised to bolster investment in agricultural machinery over the next few years. Few signs of significant manufacturing investment from major international manufacturers illustrate the weak sentiment in the Australian industry. As overseas production capabilities advance and economies of scale tip further away from domestic manufacturers, imports will consume a greater share of domestic demand. Overall, industry revenue is forecast to edge upwards at an annualised 0.1% through the end of 2030-31, to 3.14 billion.

Australian Agricultural Machinery Market Outlook 2031

The Australian agricultural machinery market size was USD 3.26 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 6.15 Billion by 2031 expand at significant CAGR 7.3% during forecast period 2023–2031. Growth of the market is attributed to minor utilization of land resources, increasing demand for high-quality agricultural products, and government initiatives in agriculture sector.



Agricultural machinery relates to the mechanical devices and structures used in farming and other agriculture. There are several types of agricultural equipment like hand tools and power tools to tractors, harvesting machinery, planting machinery, and irrigation machinery that are used to operate and tow on farms.

The covid-19 pandemic affected the demand and supply of Australian agricultural machinery market. Lockdown across the globe, supply chain disorders, and oscillating supply of raw materials forced manufacturers to shut down production leading to unfortunate decline in market growth. Launch of vaccines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period.

Australian Agricultural Machinery Market Trends, Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities

• Rising prices of contractor services is projected to boost the market in the coming years.


• Rapid development in agriculture sector is major factor fuelling the market during the forecast period.


• lack of awareness regarding the benefits of using agriculture equipment<span style="font-size:1

Australia Agriculture Robots Market is predicted to reach $266.13 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 22.2% from 2023 to 2030

Australia GDP: Growth: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data was reported at -7.956 % in 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of -10.129 % for 2019. Australia GDP: Growth: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data is updated yearly, averaging 2.672 % from Jun 1976 (Median) to 2020, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43.297 % in 1984 and a record low of -21.861 % in 1983. Australia GDP: Growth: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Gross Domestic Product: Annual Growth Rate. Annual growth rate for agricultural value added based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2010 U.S. dollars. Agriculture corresponds to ISIC divisions 1-5 and includes forestry, hunting, and fishing, as well as cultivation of crops and livestock production. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; Weighted average; Note: Data for OECD countries are based on ISIC, revision 4.

GDP from Agriculture in Australia increased to 20128 AUD Million in the second quarter of 2025 from 20070 AUD Million in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Australia Gdp From Agriculture- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

During fiscal year 2022, approximately 9.98 thousand gigaliters of water were consumed by the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry in Australia. The agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry was responsible for a large share of water consumption across industries in the country. The effective management of water supply and water consumption are important for Australia, a country which is the driest inhabited continent on earth.

ABS released data contains final estimates for data items collected in the 2014–15 Rural Environment and Agricultural Commodities Survey (REACS). The statistics on crop and horticultural area and production were used to estimate biomass volumes for the Australian Biomass for Bioenergy Assessment Project. Agriculture data includes Cereal Straw, Non Cereal Straw and Hay & Silage. The Drought Minimum and Bumper Maximum has been calculated by using the total tonnage of a drought/bumper year as a percentage of the total tonnage of an average year and applying these percentages to the total for each region. (41% and 158% respectively). See RenewablesSA website for more information including metadata and data sources. http://www.renewablessa.sa.gov.au/investor-information/bio-energy-roadmap/biomass-for-bioenergy-assessment

Australia Cereal Production data was reported at 56,306,820.810 Metric Ton in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 51,077,697.910 Metric Ton for 2021. Australia Cereal Production data is updated yearly, averaging 24,050,705.000 Metric Ton from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2022, with 62 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 56,306,820.810 Metric Ton in 2022 and a record low of 9,149,882.000 Metric Ton in 1961. Australia Cereal Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.;Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.;Sum;