NSW Department of Primary Industries

Forewords

Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW

. Adam Marshall signature
In 2020-21, NSW saw records tumble across the primary industries sector – reaching a record $20.9 billion in total primary industries output. This is an outstanding result.

A record winter crop was the cornerstone of this year’s remarkable results, which were also underpinned by high beef and mutton prices and record primary industries exports. Our agriculture industry overcame the immense challenges of COVID-19, locust and mice plagues, and extreme weather conditions to achieve these record outcomes.

Our farmers do the hard work, but they need the platform to do so. The NSW Government continued to support rural and regional communities with more than $4 billion for drought and water infrastructure, our $150 million Mouse Control Program, and $3 million in hotel quarantine subsidies for foreign workers.

Further support from the Primary Producer Disaster Recovery Grant also helped recovery efforts from the storms and floods of February and March. Almost $54 million in grants has so far been delivered.

The NSW Government also announced a combined $64 million in the 2021-22 NSW Budget over four years for the ‘Future Ready Regions’ program - a strategy to help farmers and regional communities grow, thrive and plan for the future. It has been built on the experiences and lessons learnt from the worst drought on record, identifying priorities and opportunities to future-proof regional NSW.

We will continue to stand beside our primary producers, who are among the world’s best. It could have been a year to forget, but instead it is one we’ll forever remember. NSW primary industries is now proudly a $20.9 billion industry, and we are well on our way to $30 billion by 2030.

Director General NSW Department of Primary Industries

. Scott Hansen signature
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) works to maximise outcomes for NSW primary industries, the communities they support and the resources they rely on, both now and for the future.

DPI’s impact is evident in the NSW primary industries sector results for 2020-21 which show a record Gross Value of Production (GVP) of $17.6 billion, an increase of 41% on 2018-19 levels. This not only delivered upon but exceeded the NSW DPI’s strategic goal of 29% growth in primary industries GVP, two years ahead of schedule.

This important milestone outlines how the work of NSW DPI underpins industry outcomes, with our teams delivering important research and development focused on growing and protecting our agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as regulation and administration of biosecurity, food safety, animal welfare and hunting in NSW.

DPI’ s role in preparing for, responding to, and assisting in recovery from animal and plant biosecurity incidents, natural disasters and other emergencies, is a key factor in supporting the sector to manage and respond to these challenges and promote its way forward in recovery.

Despite the challenges of the 2020-21 period, there were considerable highlights across the sector including: a record winter crop production with the gross value of the cropping sector reaching $8 billion, the value of wheat produced rising 540% to $4 billion, record beef prices with the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator reaching $9.72/kg/cwt and rising further after year end, and, record primary industries exports exceeding $6.6 billion despite supply challenges for livestock industries.

This year’s significant rebound in production following years of crippling drought and sector challenges is a testament to the work of our specialist teams and to the resilience, efficiency, and energy of our state’s primary producers.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au