So just how important is export to the food industry and Australia in general?
The following statistics are from an ABARES study from 2020 based article in Food Australia in the July to September 2020 edition. These highlight the importance of export.
90 percent of Australia’s agricultural water usage was used on irrigated crops which make up 30 percent of agricultural production.
Australian agricultural exports are valued at $48 billion.
71 percent of Australia’s agricultural production is exported.
Imported products makes up 11 percent of our expenditure on food and beverages.
In 2019 Australia was in the Top Ten countries in the world in terms of food affordability and availability.
Australia was rated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2019 as equal first for the lowest level of undernourishment
The following are the levels of exported agricultural production;
- Beef and veal – 75 percent
- Sugar – 86 percent
- Rice – 74 percent
- Canola – 72 percent
These statistics highlight just how important export is to our food production and how issues such as COVID-19 which inhibit or stop this vital side to business can have significant rolling impacts.