January 3, 2023

 

Significant year for Western Australian farmers in 2021

 

 

2022 has been a big year for Western Australia's farmers.

 

In the state's grain belt, growers harvested a potentially record-breaking grain crop and were further buoyed by strong grain prices.

 

Increased commodity prices were tempered by a major jump in the cost of production, with disrupted supply chains and high input costs taking their toll.

 

Red meat prices were high, but biosecurity issues dominated the livestock sector following the spread of several diseases to Indonesia.

 

Although Western Australia did not receive the volumes of rain seen in the eastern states, wet weather conditions across the state were well-above average.

 

Rain fell generously across the WA grain belt this year, setting farmers up for one of the best seasons on record. More than 20 million tonnes of grain were delivered to WA's primary bulk grain handler before the end of the year, edging closer towards last year's historic 21.3-million-tonne record delivered to CBH Group. But the rain has prolonged the harvest, with many growers interrupted by wet weather between October and December.

 

A major rise in the cost of production was a challenge few industries were able to escape in 2022.

 

While cattle, grain and fruit prices were high, freight, diesel, fertiliser and chemical costs were also, as global markets reacted to the war in Ukraine.

 

Staffing shortages were felt heavily across the agriculture sector, but the labour-intensive horticulture and viticulture industries felt it particularly hard.

 

Meanwhile, the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease to Indonesia in 2022 put biosecurity high on the agenda of the livestock sector.

 

The diseases had a particularly strong impact on WA's northern live cattle trade, as high Australian cattle prices and an increased risk of disease deterred Indonesian buyers.

 

Live exports out of the Port of Broome were down about 30% on last year, at about 82,000 head.

 

As for WA dairy farmers, they had several wins this season, said Nicola Parker, dairy councillor for WA Farmers.

 

"We saw some great milk price increases in the supermarkets, which did filter through to the farmers, which was fantastic for us to see," she added.

 

Compared to her counterparts in the flood-ravaged eastern states, she was acutely aware of how positive the season had been for WA's agriculture sector.

 

"[We will] continue to be grateful for what we have here … reflecting on ways that we can do things better … be kind, and appreciate the industry and the people that we have around us," Parker said.

 

- ABC News