Agricultural/Fisheries production in Tasmania has consistently increased at about 5% a year over the past 10 years, as detailed in the ScoreCard produced by the Department of Primary Industries and Water.
The Food Industry ScoreCard, describes the nature of food production in Tasmania, and was developed because of an industry and government need for reliable information about primary industries that are so important to the State's economy. The report has been delivered as part of the SMART Farming program.
The ScoreCard is a comprehensive information source that tracks value along the food chain - from the farm gate or beach, to our customer overseas, interstate and locally in Tasmania. Traditionally government and industry have relied on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data to report primary industries' contribution to the State's economy and to monitor trends in production and export markets, however a more comprehensive system was needed.
The Food Industry ScoreCard has revealed the value of the food industry to Tasmania. The current ScoreCard is based on 2004-05 information, as that is the last year with a complete set of data.Food items at the farm gate or beach are worth $984 million but when they are packed and processed the value increases to $2.1 billion. Net food income is $3.1 billion, making this one of Tasmania's important industries.
Food trade (overseas and interstate) accounts for 58% of production and is worth about $1.6 billion. After 2005 there has been an additional $200 million interstate sales of salmon. Similarly there has been an expansion in interstate dairy sales as production has increased despite the drought.Overseas food exports have been steady for many years. Beef, dairy and abalone account for about 75% of Tasmania's overseas food trade.
Interstate sales are particularly important. Currently interstate sales are twice the value of overseas exports, and the relative value of this market is increasing. Trade in confectionary, salmon, potatoes, beer and dairy products accounts for 85% of total interstate trade in food items.
This is a highly diversified industry - there are more than 70 major product groupings, and there is an interesting mix of overseas, interstate and local markets.
The Food Industry ScoreCard was first used by the Department of Primary Industries in South Australia, because they had the same information needs as Tasmania. The ScoreCard is based on a methodology developed by the Harvard Business School.
The ScoreCard can be downloaded from the DPIW website .