Australia’s economy relied heavily on agriculture as it grew into a wealthy nation in the 1900s. Agriculture continues to be important, even if manufacturing and services now account for a much larger portion of the national GDP. Most of the nation’s food comes from farmers, and agricultural goods make up a sizable portion of exports.
Furthermore, for a nation that takes great pleasure in its large spaces, plentiful resources, and tenacious settlers, rearing cattle and cultivating crops have symbolic significance. Australia’s agricultural sector is significant globally as well.
Since they are harvested during the “off-season” of the Northern Hemisphere, which is winter and spring in the Northern Hemisphere, or summer and autumn in Australia, farm products from that country are frequently in demand in North America, Asia, and Europe. Australia is a major global supplier of grains, meat, sugar, dairy products, fruit, and wine as well as a top producer of wool and wine.
CROPS
Wheat, barley, canola, cotton, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables are among Australia’s principal agricultural products. In addition, rice, oats, sorghum, pulses (beans and peas), and maize (maize) are farmed by Australian farmers. With the use of irrigation systems and wells that pull massive amounts of water from the Great Artesian Basin, farmers have only managed to permanently cultivate a very small portion of the area.
Another important crop for export is sugar. Australia is among the top exporters of sugar in the world. Major purchasers include South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan. Australia produces sugar-related goods such as molasses and bagasse, a fibrous plant residue used as fuel, in addition to raw and refined sugar. Australia has highly automated and advanced sugarcane producing processes, from planting and harvesting to milling.
Garden crop cultivation, or horticulture, is an important part of Australian agriculture. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and decorative crops like cut flowers are all included. While some products are exported, the majority are sold within Australia.
Australia is one of the world’s top 10 wine-producing nations. China, the US, the UK, Canada, and other countries are among the more than 100 nations to which its highly regarded wines are sold. Furthermore, a large amount of Australian wine is sold domestically. Although it is produced throughout the nation, the south is where wine is most significant.
LIVESTOCK
Australia’s agriculture has always placed a high priority on the rearing of animals, particularly sheep and cattle. Sheep are utilized for wool and meat, and cattle are used for meat and dairy products. Pigs and chickens are also raised by Australian farmers.
Pasture covers more than half of the nation’s land area; the majority of it is found on sizable sheep and cattle stations in the north, east, and centre of the nation. The size of some of the stations is so great that the animals are herded using helicopters.
It’s quite noteworthy that both processed beef and live animals are valuable exports from the beef cattle sector. Milk is another reason Australian farmers raise cattle. Herds of dairy cattle are primarily found in the southeast, particularly in Victoria, as well as in the areas around other cities. Dairy products are a key export from Australia to a number of nations across the world, including China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Additionally, Australia is a significant exporter of live sheep, mutton, and lamb. The Middle East, the United States, and China are important lamb and mutton markets. Several million live sheep are loaded onto ships every year, mostly headed for Muslim nations in the Middle East, where they are ceremoniously slaughtered. Animal rights organizations have opposed live animal exports, yet they continue to be a profitable segment of the cattle business.
Now you are, to a certain degree well informed about the Agricultural Sector of Australia. Though it’s a country far into the ends of the Earth, yet it’s a lucrative turn-on for Farming Businesses.
