Regional Output

NSW Top Primary Industries 2020-21 73 ae

Eastern

(North Coast, Hunter, Greater Sydney, South East)
The Eastern region consists of the coastal region of NSW and the eastward flowing river catchments, characterised by higher rainfall and temperate to subtropical growing condition in the north. Primary industries from the region include intensive production systems including horticulture and dairy, and fisheries and forestry. As with the rest of NSW 2020-21 was characterised by improved rainfall conditions but also in some cases substantial flooding in eastern river systems.

The region's primary industry output was valued at $3.9 billion in 2020-21, 8% higher than the previous year. Livestock, primarily cattle production and horticulture are the principal contributors to primary production for the region. Cattle outputs were valued at $736.6 million in the year 6% higher than in 2019-20.

Milk production remains a major industry, accounting for 69% of NSW milk production by value and occurring throughout the Eastern region with the South East, Hunter and North Coast in order, accounting for the bulk of production. The total value of milk output was $464.9 million in 2020-21 a 5% increase year-on-year.

Proximity to the urban population centres of Sydney and surrounding Newcastle and Wollongong areas has given rise to more intensively grown horticultural industries. The Greater Sydney area is the main producer of intensive horticultural industries in the state for mushroom production $68.7 million, other specialised vegetables $67.3 million, and herbs $43.2 million. Similarly, poultry and egg production still remained significant primary industries for the Greater Sydney area and valued at $191.8 million and $112.3 million respectively.

Nursery production also benefits from proximity to consumers and is a large activity in the Greater Sydney area with output valued at $156.7 million in 2020-21 accounting for 37% of the state’s nurseries industry. Similarly turf production for the region was valued at $120.1 million the majority of which is grown in the Greater Sydney area accounting for 73% of the state’s production by value.

Subtropical growing conditions across the North Coast enables production of specialised crops including macadamias valued at $101.7 million a marginal increase in value, 3% over 2019-20. While sugar cane production increased by 13% in value terms year-on-year to total $73.5 million in 2020-21.

Forestry in the Eastern region located in the South East and the North Coast areas, includes both softwood and hardwood production and was estimated to be valued at $149.0 million in 2020-21.

Commercial fisheries production, including wild caught and aquaculture, was estimated at $180.3 million in 2020-21, 5% higher than the previous year. In 2020-21 the North coast area was estimated to have the highest wild caught output by value, while the South East and Hunter areas in order, had the largest value share of aquaculture which includes farmed oysters.

Eastern Region 73 34 153 67

Northern

(Northern Tablelands, North West)
Comprising the Northern Tablelands dominated by grazing enterprises and the North West with substantial cropping and irrigation, the combined region produced primary industries outputs valued at $3.8 billion in 2020-21. As with other regions, improved seasonal condition resulted improved growing conditions. In 2020-21 irrigation water use was at 320,635 ML an increase from 134,309 ML in the prior year, 148 which combined with increased rainfall, contributed to cropping lifting substantially to $2.44 billion, compared to $370.6 million in 2019-20.

Wheat production was the principal primary industry in the North West and valued at $1.06 billion in 2020-21 compared to just $76.8 million in the year prior. Amongst the other broadacre crops, cotton production from both irrigation and dryland systems lifted substantially with the North West the major cotton growing area, producing $490.4 million worth of cotton in 2020-21, 45% of the state’s output by value.

The North West also produced the major share of chickpeas by value in NSW valued at $239.4 million in 2020-21. In addition, sorghum production as a summer crop was valued at $158.9 million for the year and accounted for 88% of NSW sorghum production by value.

Cattle production remained the dominant livestock activity in the region with the North West and the Northern Tablelands the first and second largest contributors to the state's beef industry. Combined, beef cattle output from the Northern region was valued at $838.5 million in 2020-21, a 7% increase over 2019-20. In the case of the Northern Tablelands the value of both cattle production and sheep and lambs increased by 9% and 21% respectively over the prior year highlighting the livestock focus of the area and improved seasonal conditions.

Specialised primary industries in the North West includes poultry production worth $99.9 million and is focussed about the Tamworth area and represented an increase year-on-year of 85%. While tomato production under glasshouse systems near Guyra in the Northern Tablelands was valued at $25.3 million and accounted for 25% of NSW's tomato production by value in 2020-21. Forestry activities primarily focussed on softwood production in the Northern Tablelands was estimated at $37.8 million in 2020-21.

Northern Region 73 34 153 67

Central

(Central Tablelands, Central West)
The Central region includes the higher rainfall Central Tablelands and the Central West areas, west of the Sydney Basin. As with elsewhere in the state, 2020-21 provided an opportunity for farms to recover from the extended drought with a substantial lift in the value of cropping, which was valued at $2.1 billion, compared to just $338 million in 2019-20.

Wheat production was valued at $1.14 billion, with the Central West area alone accounting for 28% of the state’s wheat output by value. Canola production also represented a significant broadacre crop in 2020-21 with production valued at $180.1 million and $36.0 million from the Central West and Central Tablelands respectively. This compared with a combined value of canola production in 2019-20 of just $7.6 million. 37% of NSW hay production by value was produced in the Central region with the Central West area the principal producer in the state. Combined hay production was valued at $191.4 million in 2020-21.

The Central Tablelands is also a horticultural region producing various orchard crops. Apple production was valued at $33.8 million in 2020-21 accounting for 38% of the state’s production by value and was 19% higher than the value of apple production in 2019-20.

Livestock production including cattle and sheep, were valued at $506.4 million and $350.3 million respectively. Broadly consistent with other regions with extensive cropping, these livestock industry values were static or marginally lower year-on-year with sheep production 7% lower in value term in 2020-21 and cattle slaughter value unchanged reflecting in part a shift in focus to cropping activities in the region and constrained livestock numbers from the extended drought.

The third largest primary industry by value in the Central Tablelands was forestry with estimated output valued at $113.6 million in 2020-21. As a result, the Central region was the second largest contributor to the state’s forestry output by value, with production consisting of pulpwood and sawlogs from softwood plantations.

Central Region 73 34 153 67

Southern

(Riverina, Murray)
The NSW Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys make up the Southern region which represents the largest share of NSW primary industries output by value across the five regions, with the total value in 2020-21 worth $6.2 billion, a third of the state’s value. Recovery from the extended drought conditions in 2020-21 resulted in substantially increased output with cropping increasing in value by 160% year-on-year to total $3.1 billion. Soil moisture profiles through the region lifted so that during early 2020 the Southern region had soil moistures above average supporting winter cereal plantings for 2020-21. 112 Similarly, water irrigation availability increased with water use for the region was 2.18 million ML in 2020-21, well up from 420,736 ML in the prior year. 148

As a consequence, cropping and horticulture industries directly benefitted with increased sowings and yields. Two key annual irrigated crops grown in the region experienced significant resurgence with cotton, which can also include dryland, increasing in value to $151.8 million in 2020-21, 154% higher year-on-year. Similarly rice production resumed at scale with the value of rice production 320% higher over the 2019-20 rice crop, to total $142.6 million in 2020-21.

Of the major outputs wheat production was valued at $1.4 billion, equivalent to 36% of the state’s wheat output by value, with Riverina and Murray production worth $951.2 million and $427.6 million respectively, an increase of over 200% on the previous year. Similarly, barley output doubled in value to total $415.4 million in 2020-21 with Riverina alone representing 29% of the NSW barley production and the largest contributor to the state’s barley production by value. Canola supported by higher prices and suitable growing condition was valued at $584.6 million for the region, with the Riverina and Murray accounting for 41% and 25% respectively of the state’s total canola output value in the year.

Amongst horticulture crops almond production continued to grow, as the large portion of recently planted trees continued to mature, with production increasing in value terms by 21% year-on-year to total $75.2 million in 2020-21. Orange production remained the highest value horticultural crop for the region valued to $204.5 million in 2020-21, with the bulk of the crop grown in the Riverina accounting for 63% of the state’s orange production by value. Wine grape production decreased in value terms by 10% to $120.3 million in 2020-21 with the Riverina area the second largest contributor of wine grapes by value in NSW. This decline in the Southern region’s wine grape value was largely attributed to lower pricing per tonne obtained for Riverina grapes in 2021. 151

Livestock industries in the Southern region are dominated by beef cattle and sheep and lamb production. The value of cattle production decreased by 15% in 2020-21 from the prior year totalling $561.0 million, while sheep and lamb production declined to $417.1 million, 12% lower than 2019-20. Various factors likely contributed to this regional outcome including herd rebuilding, some easing of sheep prices from the previous year 152 and a refocus of producers on cropping opportunities given improved rainfall. Despite this the Southern region produced the largest value of livestock in NSW and was valued at $1.475 billion in 2020-21, with cattle contributing 38% and sheep and lambs 28% of the total livestock sales value.

Monogastric livestock production systems are significant industries in the Southern region with poultry and egg production valued at $287.9 million and $85.4 million respectively. The Riverina area produced a third of the state’s poultry output by value in 2020-21. While the value of poultry output for the region was relatively static in 2020-21 reflecting relatively stable pricing from the previous year, the value of egg production lifted by 30% over 2019-20. Similarly, the pig industry focussed in the Murray area accounts for 56% of NSW pork output by value, with major producers and processors focussed on the southern areas of the state. The value of production was valued at $208.7 million from the Southern region a decrease of 7% on the prior year.

Forestry outputs from the region were estimated at $155.1 million, the most significant region by value in the state for forestry outputs. Focussed on the Murray area, production of both pulpwood and sawlogs sourced from softwood plantations are the major outputs.

Southern Region 73 34 153 67

Western

(Western)
Irrigation farms and extensive livestock production represent the majority of the primary industries outputs from the Western region. Following the extended dry period since 2017, improved rainfall in 2020 resulted in some recovery in water storage including for the southern Murray Darling Basin where storage volumes recovered to 40% by June 2020. 149 This increased irrigation and improved soil moisture for the non-irrigated grazing areas in the Western Region dryland area provided a significant lift in primary industries output in 2020-21. Irrigation water use in the NSW Lower Darling for example increased from 593ML in 2019-20 to 59,968 ML in 2020-21. 148 Combined with some lift in prices of key commodities, the value of output increased by 90% year-on-year to total $1.28 billion in 2020-21 representing 7% of the state’s total primary output value.

The region has a large horticultural output with perennial crops typically prioritised for irrigation to ensure maintenance of plantings. Grape production including for wine production, valued at $122.5 million and non-wine grapes worth $71.4 million, represented 49% and 95% of the state’s output by value for these industries respectively in 2020-21. The value of orange production in the region increased substantially, up 180% in 2020-21 over the previous year, accounting for 28% of NSW orange production by value. The growing almond industry produced $53 million of output and the region accounting for 41% of the state’s almond output an increase of 11% year-on-year.

Reflecting the increased availability of water, growers increased the area to cotton in the Western region in 2020-21 with production valued at just $4 million in the prior year, cotton output returned to be worth $94.8 million. Improved rainfall and soil water profiles in 2020-21 supported increased cereal crop sowing, resulting in wheat production becoming the largest industry in the Western region by value in 2020-21 at $182.4 million, compared with just $28.7 million in the prior year when wheat production was the 8th most valuable primary industry for the region.

Sheep outputs including sheep and lamb livestock sales and wool were valued at $162.5 million and $99.8 million respectively in 2020-21. While the value of sheep outputs was relatively stable year-on-year for the region, sheep sales were 4% lower but wool up 10% in value, while beef cattle production increased by 48%. Cattle sales totalled $109.2 million in 2020-21 supported by strong beef prices over the previous year, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator lifting 40% from 2019-20. 152 Poultry production was the 10th largest industry by value in the Western region and valued at $45.8 million.

Western Region 73 34 153 67