Lexi Webster
Australia is a major agricultural producer and exporter, with a diverse set of climates and growing zones. The country's farm gate output was $100 billion a year for a 5.7% share of GDP in 2023, with around 421,000 people employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Australia's wine industry is particularly notable, with the country now one of the top five wine producers in the world. Wheat is the country's leading grain crop, grown in every state, and sugarcane is the second-biggest crop export. Other important crops include cotton, rice, tobacco, fruits, corn, sorghum, and oilseeds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Agricultural workforce | 421,000 people employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing as of 2023 |
| Farm gate output | $100 billion a year for a 5.7% share of GDP in 2023 |
| Farmland | Farmers and grazers own 135,997 farms, covering 61% of Australia's landmass |
| Farming type | Mix of irrigation and dry-land farming |
| Zones | High rainfall zone of Tasmania and a narrow coastal zone, wheat-sheep zone, and grazing zone |
| Wheat | Leading grain crop, grown in every state, with production concentrated in the southeast and southwest wheat belts |
| Sugarcane | Second-biggest crop export, grown in Queensland's coastal districts, northern coastal plains of New South Wales, and the Ord Irrigated District in northwestern Western Australia |
| Other crops | Cotton, rice, tobacco, temperate and tropical fruits, corn, sorghum, oilseeds, legumes, and grapes |
| Livestock | Sheep, cattle, and dairy cows |
| Fisheries | Third-largest fishing zone in the world, with exports including prawns, rock lobsters, abalone, tuna, scallops, and more |
| Wine | One of the top five wine-producing countries, with exports worth over $2 billion annually |
| Vegetables | Ability to grow most traditional fruits and vegetables, with some regions specializing in crops like parsnips, onions, broccoli, and other brassicas |
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Wheat and other grains
Wheat is Australia's leading grain crop, with production concentrated in the wheat belts of the southeast and southwest. Up to four-fifths of the grain is exported, primarily to East Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific region. Wheat is planted in the winter months of May and June, and all Australian wheats are white-grained, intended for bread and noodle production. The northern region, comprising Queensland and New South Wales, is the largest source of Australia's premium hard high-protein wheat for export and domestic use.
Australia's grain and combined grain and livestock production has remained stable, accounting for about two-fifths of agricultural turnover. Cereals, oilseeds, and grain legumes are produced on a large scale in Australia for human consumption and livestock feed. Wheat is the most produced cereal in terms of area and value to the Australian economy.
Other important crops grown in Australia include cotton, rice, tobacco, temperate and tropical fruits, corn (maize), sorghum, and oilseeds. The diversity of Australia's climate allows for the cultivation of a wide range of crops, including fruits and vegetables. Queensland, for example, has a subtropical to tropical climate, enabling the growth of a diverse range of crops.
While some parts of Australia, like Coastal SA, experience frost in the winter, providing the four seasons needed to grow traditional fruits and vegetables. Other areas, like Queensland, have two main growing seasons: the Dry and cooler winter, and the Hot and humid Summer. This summer season is ideal for growing more tropical crops, while the cooler season is better for warm-season crops, requiring water management.
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Sugarcane
At the sugar mill, the juice is extracted from the stalks through a crushing process, and the sugar crystals are then separated from the juice. While 'raw' sugar is the main product of Australian sugarcane, there are various other uses for the plant. Molasses, a dark syrup separated from raw sugar crystals, is used as a raw material for ethanol, rum, and animal feed. The leftover fibre from the stalks, called bagasse, is used to generate electricity to power the sugar mill, and excess power is returned to the energy grid. Other by-products include fertiliser, plastics, fibreboard, and biopharmaceuticals.
The complete sugarcane cycle involves multiple steps, from planting to exporting raw sugar crystals or refining and packaging sugar for domestic use. Sugarcane growers in Australia embrace innovations in technology and machinery to maximise efficiency and profitability, including the use of remote sensing, drones, and GPS-guided machinery. The sugarcane industry in Australia faces competition from heavily subsidised producers in Europe and America, as well as the large and efficient Brazilian sugarcane industry.
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Wine
The largest volume of wine is produced from grapes grown in the warm-climate Murray-Darling Basin zones of Lower Murray, North Western Victoria and Big Rivers. South Australia is the largest wine-producing region by far, with Adelaide as its hub. The city is home to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), responsible for much of the world's research on dry farming techniques and commercial wine operations. The Adelaide Hills wine region was badly hit by the 2019-2020 bushfires, losing up to 30% of its vineyards.
A few miles from Adelaide is Barossa Valley, South Australia's most prestigious growing area, which is unique due to its isolation from the rest of the world. Phylloxera has not infected vineyard soils in Barossa, making it home to some of the oldest living vineyards globally. The Tamar Valley in Tasmania has also emerged as a producer of high-quality wines, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are well-suited to the cooler climate.
New South Wales is known for its warmer-climate varieties, such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, which make up 44% of the country's total wine production. However, due to severe drought in recent years, growers are experimenting with more drought-resistant varieties like Tempranillo and Verdelho. Victoria, on the other hand, is known for its cool-climate-loving Pinot Noir, with the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula as growing areas of interest.
Western Australia and Queensland are two up-and-coming wine regions. Queensland has over 100 vineyards registered in the state, with notable wines produced in the Granite Belt region in the state's extreme south.
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Fruits and vegetables
Australia's climate varies from tropical in the north to temperate in the south, with several different climate zones across the country. This means that a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can be grown.
Fruits
Fruits cultivated and consumed in Australia include apples, bananas, kiwifruit, oranges and other citrus fruits, mangoes, mandarin, stone fruit, avocado, rockmelons, watermelons, lychees, papaya (pawpaw), pineapple, passionfruit, berries (strawberries, raspberries), pears, nectarines, plums, apricots, grapes, melons, and custard apples. Wine is also produced in every state, with more than 60 designated wine regions, and wine produced from exotic fruits such as mango, passion fruit, and lychees.
Vegetables
Vegetables grown in Australia include lettuce, leafy greens, spring onions, spinach, kale, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, eggplant, leeks, pumpkin, radish, sweet corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. In the southern regions of Victoria and Tasmania, the climate is mild and coastal, with high rainfall, which is beneficial for growing most vegetables.
Bush Tucker
Native Australian fruits and vegetables, often referred to as "bush tucker", have been used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for millennia and are well-adapted to the diverse climates and soils of the continent. Examples include Kakadu Plum, Bush Tomato, Bush Banana, and Old Man's Weed (Scurvy Weed). These foods offer unique flavours and high nutritional value, and promoting their cultivation and consumption can support Indigenous communities and foster environmental sustainability.
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Wool and livestock
Australia has a large agricultural sector, with around 421,000 people employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing as of 2023. One of the key sectors within Australian agriculture is wool and livestock.
Wool is produced in all Australian states except the Northern Territory. In 2021-22, 71.6 million sheep were shorn in Australia, with New South Wales producing the greatest volume of wool, followed by Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia. The wool industry is supported by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), a not-for-profit company that invests in research, development, marketing, and promotion to increase the long-term profitability of wool growers. AWI is funded by farmer levies and matching research and development funds from the Australian government.
The Australian wool industry is committed to animal welfare, with policies and advocacy efforts led by WoolProducers Australia, the national wool industry representative body. Australia has positioned itself as a world leader in the development and implementation of pain relief products for livestock, with innovations such as Tri-Solfen®, Buccalgesic OTM®, Butec OTM®, and Numnuts®.
In addition to wool, Australia also has a significant livestock industry, including cattle and goat production. Livestock enterprises are often part of mixed farming systems, and Australia's grazing lands cover a large portion of the country's landmass.
AWN, an Australian-owned agri-service company, provides rural services for wool, livestock, and property, further supporting the wool and livestock industries in Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Wheat is the country's leading grain crop and is grown in every state, with production concentrated in the southeast and southwest wheat belts. Other crops include sugarcane, cotton, rice, tobacco, corn, sorghum, oilseeds, and grapes for winemaking.
Australia is the world's leading producer of wool, regularly supplying nearly one-third of the global total. The country's total sheep population peaked in 1970 but has since declined. Australia also has a large-scale fishing industry.
Australia's agriculture is influenced by its diverse climates, ranging from subtropical to arid regions. The country has three main agricultural zones: a high-rainfall zone in Tasmania and a narrow coastal zone for dairy and beef production, a wheat and sheep zone, and grazing land for sheep.
