The state of the Western Australian grains industry and opportunities for growth are the focus of a recently released industry guide.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has made available the Western Australian Arable Crops Industry Guide and accompanying summary snapshot.
Department Trade and Industry Development Director Courtney Draper said the guide provided an industry snapshot for stakeholders and potential investors.
“Our State’s grains industry is our biggest agricultural earner, with exports of grains, pulses, oilseeds and animal feeds valued at $5bn annually over the past five years, and is in a unique position for growth,” Ms Draper said.
WA is a leading supplier of crops to the world including wheat, barley and canola.
“As the report points out, Asia now accounts for almost two thirds of the global arable crop products trade, with many markets growing at double digit rates,” she said.
Ms Draper said investment was important in enabling the state’s agriculture and food industries to reach their full potential and seize global demand opportunities.
The Arable Crops Guide discusses four broad investment themes for creating growth: investing in crop yields; investing in new processes and systems; investing in further processing ingredients; investing in improving infrastructure.
The report, prepared by Coriolis Research, is among a suite of guides being produced across a range of sectors, including the recently released meat guide.
The package provides stakeholders and potential investors with a detailed in-depth understanding of the industry and an overview of where investment opportunities might lie.
A summary document and full copy of the report is available here.
Additional information:
More than 4,500 farmers grow arable crops in Western Australia. Major crops include:
Wheat - WA is the second largest wheat producing region in the Southern Hemisphere. WA exported $2.4bn in wheat (year ending March 2017). Macro drivers for the WA wheat industry present a solid growth environment going forward, with area, yields and production all growing long term.
Canola - WA is the largest producer of canola in the Southern Hemisphere. WA exported $1.3bn worth of canola (year ending March 2017), representing two-thirds of the Australian total and exports are growing strongly.
Barley - WA is the largest barley producer in the Southern Hemisphere. Barley exports go predominantly to China (83 per cent); other key markets are Japan and the Gulf States. Macro drivers for the WA barley industry present a solid growth environment going forward, with area, yields and production all growing long term.
Oats - WA is the second largest oats producer in the Southern Hemisphere for both animal feed and foodstuffs.
Animal feeds - WA has growing production and exports of hay and prepared animal feeds. WA exported $220 million worth of animal feeds, representing 20 per cent of the Australian total, and exports are growing.
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