In 2007, ABARE held face to face interviews with 266 vegetable growers across Australia. Farms with an estimated value of agricultural operations greater than $40,000 were surveyed.
The survey collected information not just on the physical and financial characteristics of farms in 2005-06 but on water and chemical use, pests and diseases, farm production and sale points, sources of information, future intentions, constraints to growth and relationship of growers with their main buyers.
- In 2005-06, Australia had around 2,822 commercial vegetable enterprises. Queensland, NewSouth Wales and Victoria accounted for around two-thirds of vegetable growers in Australia.
- Growers in Victoria recorded the highest average farm business profi t in 2005-06, estimated at nearly $138,000 a farm.
- Around half of the vegetable growers across all states reported a farm business loss in 2005-06.
- Growers in Tasmania recorded the largest farm business loss of nearly $73,000 a farm.
- The average rate of return to capital excluding capital appreciation among vegetable growers was 3.2 per cent in 2005-06, compared with 0.6 per cent for broadacre (wool, beef and cropping) farms.
- With the growth in land values in 2005-06, average return to capital including capitalappreciation was 9.2 per cent.
- Reflecting widespread drought conditions in 2006-07, the average area of vegetable crops sown and harvested per farm was lower than in 2005.
The full report is available to be downloaded from Latest Releases on the ABARE website at www.abareconomics.com .
