Grain producing farms Around 25 350 Australian broadacre farms each plant more than 40 hectares of grains, oilseeds or pulses each year. These farms are classified as grain producing farms in this report. Many of these farms are mixed enterprises, deriving a large proportion of their receipts from beef cattle, sheep, slaughter lambs and wool. In the three years to 2013‒14 more than 24 per cent of grain producing farms (6 110 farms) were in the Northern region, 58 per cent (14 720) were in the Southern region and 18 per cent (4 520 farms) in the Western region (). Distribution of grain producing farms, by area planted to grains, oilseeds and pulses, by region average between 2011‒12 and 2013‒14p Area planted to grains, oilseeds or pulses Number of farms (no.) Share of farms (%) Share of grain, oilseed and pulse production (%) Northern region Less than 600 hectares 4 750 78 19 600 to 1 200 hectares 720 12 19 1 200 to 2 400 hectares 320 5 15 More than 2 400 hectares 320 5 47 Total 6 110 100 100 Southern region Less than 600 hectares 9 410 64 23 600 to 1 200 hectares 2 540 17 22 1 200 to 2 400 hectares 2 000 14 30 More than 2 400 hectares 770 5 25 Total 720 100 100 Western region Less than 600 hectares 1 650 37 6 600 to 1 200 hectares 950 21 11 1 200 to 2 400 hectares 750 17 18 More than 2 400 hectares 1 170 26 65 Total 4 520 100 100 Australia Less than 600 hectares 15 810 62 17 600 to 1 200 hectares 4 210 17 18 1200 to 2 400 hectares 3 070 12 24 More than 2 400 hectares 2 260 9 41 Total 25 350 100 100 p Preliminary estimate. Note: Includes all broadacre farms with more than 40 hectares planted to grains, oilseeds or pulses. Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey
Map Rainfall percentiles for 2014‒15 summer crop areas 1 November 2014 to 30 April 2015 Note: Percentiles for the pastoral zone and regions with no summer are not included. Source: Bureau of Meteorology On-farm stocks Changes in grain marketing options and the larger size of grain crops in recent years have resulted in Australian grain producing farms increasing the use of on-farm grain storage to store and market their crops. The aggregate tonnage of grains retained on Australian grain producing farms at 30 June has increased over time, particularly in the past six years to 2014 (). Figure On-farm stocks at 30 June, grain producing farms, Australia, 1996 to 2014p p Preliminary estimate. Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey AAGIS records stocks of unsold grain held by farms at 30 June each year. These estimates do not represent farms’ total on-farm grain storage capacity. Grain stocks at 30 June are normally well below the peak that occurs immediately after the winter crop has been harvested in October to January. By 30 June, most of the previous winter crop has been sold and most of the seed for the next winter crop planted. However, a large proportion of harvested summer crops remain on farm because they are typically harvested just before 30 June. This is particularly the case for grain sorghum in the Northern region. While most stocks are held on farm, some are held in storage rented from bulk grain handlers. In recent years, AAGIS has recorded several large increases in grain stocks held by grain producing businesses at 30 June. The first occurred in 2011 and was mainly confined to the Southern region. The large 2010‒11 winter crop was widely affected by wet conditions around harvest, which resulted in downgrading in the quality of a large tonnage of grain and pulses. A large quantity of this lower quality grain was held on farm and remained in storage at 30 June 2011 before being sold early in 2011‒12 and contributing significantly to farm receipts in that year. Again in 2011‒12, a record winter grain crop resulted in increased grain stocks held by grain producing businesses at 30 June 2012 in all regions, but with the largest increase in the Western region. These stocks were then mostly sold during the early part of 2012‒13. Grain stocks are estimated to have increased at 30 June 2014. This is mainly a result of the increased grain stocks on Western region farms after the record 2013–14 winter crop in this region.
continued average per farm 2009–10 to 2013–14p Financial performance unit Area planted to grains, oilseeds and pulses All grain producing farms Specialist grain producing farms Top 25% specialist grain producing farms <600 hectares 600 to 1 200 hectares 1 200 to 2 400 hectares >2 400 hectares Rate of return – excluding capital appreciation % 1.2 3.6 5.1 6.2 3.1 4.3 8.8 – including capital appreciation % 1.2 3.6 5.8 7.2 3.4 4.8 10 Farm capital at 30 June $ 2 931 800 4 645 100 6 422 000 11 298 900 4 091 700 4 380 000 5 616 200 Farm debt at 30 June $ 311 300 776 700 1 085 500 2 665 100 607 900 702 100 941 600 Equity ratio % 88 81 80 74 83 82 81 Debt servicing Interest-to-receipts ratio % 8 8 7 8 7 7 6 Interest and principal to receipts ratio % 21 25 22 21 22 20 19 Number of farms no. 9 800 2 600 2 000 700 15 100 8 400 2 100 p Preliminary estimate. Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey