Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Greater Perth region of Western Australia, 2015

Research by the Australian Bureau of Agriculturaland Resource Economics and Sciences

About my region 15.39

April 2015

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Barossa-Yorke-Mid North region of South Australia, 2013 March 2013

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Greater Perth region of Western Australia, 2015 ABARES

10

© Commonwealth of Australia 2015

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Cataloguing data

ABARES 2015, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Greater Perth region of Western Australia, 2015, About my region 15.39, Canberra, April. CC BY 3.0.

ISBN 978-1-74323-085-5ABARES project 43009

Internet

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Greater Perth region of Western Australia 2015 is available at agriculture.gov.au/abares.

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)

Postal address GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601Switchboard +61 2 6272 3933Facsimile +61 2 6272 2001Email info.abares@agriculture.gov.auWeb agriculture.gov.au/abares

Inquiries about the licence and any use of this document should be sent to copyright@agriculture.gov.au.

The Australian Government acting through the Department of Agriculture, represented by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, has exercised due care and skill in preparing and compiling the information and data in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Department of Agriculture, ABARES, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including for negligence and for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying upon information or data in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Acknowledgements

ABARES relies on the voluntary cooperation of farmers participating in the annual Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey, Australian Dairy Industry Survey, and Australian Vegetable Growing Farms Survey to provide data used in the preparation of this report. Without their help, these surveys would not be possible. ABARES farm survey staff collected most of the information presented in this report through on-farm interviews with farmers.

This regional profile was updated by Therese Thompson, Peter Martin, Haydn Valle, Timothy Connolly, Kasia Mazur, Lucy Randall and Sharan Singh.

Contents

1Regional overview1

Employment2

2Agriculture sector4

Value of agricultural production4

Number and type of farms4

Farm financial performance—Western Australia6

3Fisheries Sector13

4Forestry Sector15

References16

Tables

Table 1 Number of farms, by industry classification, 2012–135

Table 2 Financial performance, Western Australia broadacre industries, 2012–13 to 2014–15, average per farm7

Table 3 Farm cash income of Western Australia broadacre farms, by region, 2013–14 to 2014–15, average per farm8

Table 4 Financial performance, Western Australia dairy industry, 2012–13 to 2014–15, average per farm11

Table 5 Physical and financial performance, vegetable growing farm businesses, Western Australia, 2012–13 and 2013–1412

Figures

Figure 1 Employment profile, Greater Perth region, Western Australia, November 20143

Figure 2 Value of agricultural production, Greater Perth region, Western Australia,4

Figure 3 Distribution of farms by estimated value of agricultural operations, Greater Perth region, Western Australia, 2012–135

Figure 4 Real farm cash income, broadacre industries, average per farm7

Figure 5 Real farm cash income, grains industry, average per farm9

Figure 6 Real farm cash income, beef industry, average per farm10

Figure 7 Real farm cash income, dairy industry, average per farm11

Figure 8 Real farm cash income, vegetable growing farm businesses, Western Australia, 2005–06 to 2013–1412

Figure 9 Area of native forest, by tenure15

Maps

Map 1 Broad agricultural land use of the Greater Perth region of Western Australia1

Map 2 Agricultural industries of the Greater Perth region of Western Australia2

Map 4 ABARES Australian broadacre zones and regions8

iv

ii

Regional overview

The Greater Perth region comprises thirty one local government areas. It includes the major town centres of Perth, Kwinana, Rockingham and Pinjarra (Map 1). The region covers a total area of around 6400 square kilometres or less than 1 per cent of Western Australia’s total area and is home to approximately 1 728 900 people (ABS 2011).

Agricultural land in the Greater Perth region occupies 2130 square kilometres, or 33 per cent of the region. Areas classified as conservation and natural environments (nature conservation, protected areas and minimal use) occupy 1330 square kilometres, or 21 per cent of the region. The most common land use by area is urban intensive use, which occupies 1460 square kilometres or 23 per cent of the Greater Perth region.

Map 1 Broad agricultural land use of the Greater Perth region of Western Australia

Source: Catchment scale land use of Australia – update March 2014 (ABARES, 2014)

Map 2 Agricultural industries of the Greater Perth region of Western Australia

Source: Catchment scale land use of Australia – update March 2014 (ABARES, 2014)

Employment

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data from the 2014 Labour Force Survey indicate that around 1 million people were employed in the Greater Perth region. The Greater Perth region accounts for 78 per cent of total employment in Western Australia and 38 per cent of all people employed in the Western Australian agriculture, forestry and fishing sector.

Health care and social assistance was the largest employment sector with 115 700 people followed by retail trade with 113 300 people (Figure 1). Other important employment sectors in the region were construction (112 500 people), professional, scientific and technical services (102 600 people), education and training (80 400 people), and manufacturing (71 900 people). The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employed 11 800 people, representing 1 per cent of the region’s workforce.

Figure 1 Employment profile, Greater Perth region, Western Australia, November 2014

Note: Annual average of the preceding 4 quarters.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, cat. no. 6291.0, Labour Force, Australia

Agriculture sectorValue of agricultural production

In 2012–13, the gross value of agricultural production (GVAP) in the Greater Perth region was $463 million, which was 7 per cent of the total gross value of agricultural production in Western Australia ($6.7 billion). This is the most recent year for which ABS data are available.

The most important commodity in the Greater Perth region based on the gross value of agricultural production was vegetables (Figure 2). In 2012–13, vegetables contributed 27 per cent ($126 million) to the total value of agricultural production in the region, with the major crops being lettuce ($24 million), tomatoes ($19 million) and capsicum (excluding chillies) ($7 million). Nurseries, flowers and turf accounted for 17 per cent ($80 million). Fruit and nuts (excluding grapes) accounted for 11 per cent ($51 million), with the major crops being strawberries ($17 million), apples ($10 million), and peaches, nectarines and pears ($4 million, each).

Figure 2 Value of agricultural production, Greater Perth region, Western Australia,

2012–13

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, cat. no. 7503.0, Value of agricultural commodities produced, Australia

Number and type of farms

ABS data indicate that in 2012–13 there were 1338 farms in the Greater Perth region with an estimated value of agricultural operations of more than $5000 (Table 1). The region contains 11 per cent of all farm businesses in Western Australia.

Table 1 Number of farms, by industry classification, 2012–13

Industry Classification

Greater Perth region

Western Australia

no.

%

no.

%

Beef Cattle

314

23

2 162

19

Fruit and nuts

262

20

922

8

Vegetable

202

15

464

4

Other livestock

134

10

359

3

Nurseries, Cut Flowers and Turf

112

8

186

2

Poultry

55

4

83

1

Sheep

45

3

1 309

11

Mixed livestock

40

3

273

2

Dairy

23

2

310

3

Other Crop growing

7

1

108

1

Mixed grains and livestock

7

1

2 310

20

Other

135

10

3 192

27

Total Agriculture

1 338

100

11 680

100

Note: Estimated value of agricultural operations greater than $5000.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Farms are classified in Table 1 according to the activities that generate most of their value of production. Beef cattle farms (314 farms) were the most common, accounting for 23 per cent of all farms in the Greater Perth region, and 19 per cent of all beef cattle farms in Western Australia.

There is a large percentage of small farms in the region in terms of their value of agricultural output. Estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) is a measure of the value of production from farms and a measure of their business size. Around 54 per cent of farms in the Greater Perth region had an EVAO of less than $50 000 (Figure 3). These farms accounted for only 3 per cent of the total value of agricultural operations in 2012–13. In comparison, 17 per cent of farms in the region had an EVAO of more than $350 000 and accounted for an estimated 83 per cent of the total value of agricultural operations in the region.

Figure 3 Distribution of farms by estimated value of agricultural operations, Greater Perth region, Western Australia, 2012–13

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Farm financial performance—Western Australia

Each year, ABARES interviews Australian broadacre, dairy and vegetable producers as part of its annual survey program. Broadacre industries covered in this survey include the grains, grains–livestock, sheep, beef and sheep–beef industries. The information collected is a basis for analysing the current financial position of farms in these industries and expected changes in the short term. This paper uses data from the ABARES Australian agricultural and grazing industries survey (AAGIS), Australian dairy industry survey (ADIS), and Australian vegetable growing industry survey to report estimates of financial performance indicators (Box 1) for broadacre, dairy and vegetable farms in Western Australia.

Box 1 Definitions

Major financial performance indicators

· Total cash receipts: total revenues received by the business during the financial year.

· Total cash costs: payments made by the business for materials and services and for permanent and casual hired labour (excluding owner manager, partner and family labour).

· Farm cash income: total cash receipts – total cash costs

· Farm business profit: farm cash income + changes in trading stocks – depreciation – imputed labour costs

· Profit at full equity: return produced by all the resources used in the business, farm business profit + rent + interest + finance lease payments – depreciation on leased items

· Rate of return: return to all capital used, profit at full equity * 100 / total opening capital

· Equity ratio: Farm capital minus farm debt expressed as a percentage of farm capital

Industry types

· Grains: farms mainly engaged in producing broadacre crops such as wheat, coarse grains, oilseeds and pulses, and including farms running sheep and/or beef cattle in conjunction with substantial broadacre crop activity.

· Sheep: farms mainly engaged in running sheep.

· Beef: farms mainly engaged in running beef cattle.

· Dairy: farms mainly engaged in milk production.

· Vegetable: farms mainly engaged in growing vegetables.

Performance of broadacre farms—Western Australia

A decline in winter grain production after the record crop production in Western Australia in 2013–14 and lower wheat prices are projected to result in a decrease in average farm cash income in Western Australia (Figure 4 and Table 2), particularly in the Central and South Wheat Belt (Table 3). The impact of the reduction in crop production on receipts is expected to be partly offset by pool payments received in 2014–15 for grain delivered in 2013–14 and by increased receipts from sheep and lambs resulting from higher prices.

In the northern pastoral regions of the Kimberley and Pilbara, increased sales of beef cattle for live export and higher beef cattle prices are projected to increase farm receipts and raise average farm cash income.

Overall, Western Australian broadacre farm cash incomes are projected to decrease to average $211 000 a farm in 2014–15. If achieved, this would still be around 30 per cent above the 10-year average to 2013–14.

Figure 4 Real farm cash income, broadacre industries, average per farm

p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate.Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey

Table 2 Financial performance, Western Australia broadacre industries, 2012–13 to 2014–15, average per farm

Performance indicator

units

2012–13

2013–14p

RSE 

2014–15y

Total cash receipts

$

710 890

919 000

(7)

846 000

Total cash costs

$

551 450

656 000

(6)

635 000

Farm cash income

$

159 430

263 000

(12)

211 000

Farms with negative farm cash income

%

24

21

(21)

18

Farm business profit

$

22 690

153 700

(22)

70 000

Profit at full equity excluding capital appreciation

$

107 890

245 400

(15)

156 000

Farm capital at 30 June a

$

5 217 740

5 347 600

(6)

na

Farm debt at 30 June b

$

1 006 560

1 078 900

(9)

1 051 000

Equity ratio bd

%

80

79

(2)

na

Rate of return excluding capital appreciation e

%

2.1

4.7

(13)

3.0

Off-farm income of owner manager and spouse b

$

27 980

24 400

(14)

na

a Excludes leased plant and equipment. b Average per responding farm. c Farm capital minus farm debt. d Equity expressed as a percentage of farm capital. e Rate of return to farm capital at 1 July. p Preliminary estimates. y Provisional estimates. na Not Available. Figures in parentheses are standard errors expressed as a percentage of the estimate providedSource: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey

Table 3 Farm cash income of Western Australia broadacre farms, by region, 2013–14 to 2014–15, average per farm

Region

units

2013–14p

RSE 

2014–15y

511: WA Kimberly

$

232 500

(46)

636 000

512: WA Pilbara and Southern Rangelands

$

153 600

(102)

372 000

521: WA Central and South Wheat Belt

$

339 200

(13)

185 000

522: WA North and East Wheat Belt

$

268 700

(28)

370 000

531: WA South West

$

55 700

(41)

70 000

p ABARES preliminary estimates. y ABARES provisional estimates. na Not available. Figures in parentheses are standard errors, expressed as a percentage of the estimate provided.Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey

Map 4 ABARES Australian broadacre zones and regions

Note: Each region is identified by a unique code of three digits. The first digit identifies the state or territory, the second digit identifies the zone and the third digit identifies the region.

Source: ABARES

Performance of grains industry farms—Western Australia

Total winter crop production in Western Australia increased by 53 per cent in 2013–14 compared with 2012–13 to a record high with well above average yields. As a result, total crop receipts increased by 40 per cent on grains industry farms. On mixed enterprise farms, the large increase in crop receipts were combined with smaller increases in lamb, sheep and wool receipts. Total cash costs also increased in 2013–14 due to higher expenditure on fertiliser, crop chemicals, fuel and higher freight and handling costs associated with harvesting a larger crop than in 2012–13. Expenditure on repairs and maintenance also increased as producers made use of higher cash flow. Farm cash income for Western Australian grains industry farms increased to the historical high of $416 600 a farm in 2013–14 (Figure 5).

In 2014–15, Western Australia winter crop production is estimated to have declined by 16 per cent from the record 2013–14. The impact of lower crop production on farm receipts is expected to be partly offset by pool payments for grain delivered in 2013–14 and by increased receipts from sheep and lambs, on mixed enterprise farms. Total cash costs are also estimated to decrease in 2014–15 due to lower expenditure on fuel, livestock purchases, repairs and maintenance and interest payments compared with 2013–14. Farm cash income for Western Australian grains industry farms is projected to decrease to around $282 000 a farm in 2014–15, still around 27 per cent above the industry average for the previous 10 years.

Figure 5 Real farm cash income, grains industry, average per farm

p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate.Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey

Performance of beef industry farms—Western Australia

In 2013–14, higher beef cattle turn-off and a small increase in the average price received for beef cattle sold resulted in a small increase in average farm cash receipts for Western Australian beef industry farms. Higher farm receipts were partly offset by increase in farm cash costs, particularly expenditure on fertiliser, interest payments, crop and pasture chemicals and fuel. As a result, average farm cash income for Western Australian beef industry farms increased only slightly to an average of $60 300 a farm in 2013–14 (Figure 6).

In 2014–15, higher beef cattle prices and a further increase in beef cattle turn-off in the pastoral regions of the Kimberley and Pilbara are projected to result in an increase in average farm receipts of around 10 per cent. In addition, total cash costs are estimated to decline slightly with reduced expenditure on interest payments, fuel and beef cattle purchases. Farm cash income is projected to increase to average $130 000 a farm in 2014–15, around 70 per cent above the average farm cash income for the 10 years ending 2013–14.

Figure 6 Real farm cash income, beef industry, average per farm

p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate. Source: ABARES Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey

Performance of dairy industry farms— Western Australia

In 2013–14 average farm cash incomes increased in most states as a result of higher milk prices. Nationally, average farm cash income increased from $44 130 in 2012–13 to $163 900 in 2013–14. In Western Australia, there was a small increase in the average milk price received and despite a reduction in milk production, average farm cash receipts increased. The increase in farm receipts was partly offset by higher farm cash costs. Nevertheless, for Western Australian dairy farms, average farm cash income is estimated to have increased from $133 370 in 2012–13 to $161 300 in 2013–14 (Figure 7 and Table 4).

In 2014–15, a small increase is expected in milk production in Western Australia. Higher milk production in combination with a small increase in average farmgate milk price is projected to result in average farm cash income for Western Australian dairy farms increasing slightly to average $166 000 a farm. This is around 2 per cent above the average for the previous 10 years, in real terms.

Nationally, the average farm cash income of Australian dairy farms is projected to decrease in 2014–15 with a lower farmgate milk prices in most states and regions except Western Australia, northern New South Wales and Queensland. Overall, the average farm cash income of Australian dairy farms is projected to decrease to average $97 000 a farm in 2014–15, around 14 per cent below the 10-year average to 2013–14.

Figure 7 Real farm cash income, dairy industry, average per farm

p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate.Source: ABARES Australian Dairy Industry Survey

Table 4 Financial performance, Western Australia dairy industry, 2012–13 to 2014–15, average per farm

Performance indicator

units

2012–13

2013–14p

RSE 

2014–15y

Farm cash income

$

133 370

161 300

(10)

166 000

Farm business profit a

$

75 710

70 900

(31)

31 000

Rate of return excluding capital appreciation b

%

1.8

2.1

(18)

1.5

a Defined as farm cash income plus buildup in trading stocks, less depreciation and the imputed value of operator partner and family labour. b Defined as profit at full equity, excluding capital appreciation, as a percentage of total opening capital. Profit at full equity is defined as farm business profit plus rent, interest and lease payments less depreciation on leased items. p Preliminary estimates. y Provisional estimates. na Not available. Figures in parentheses are standard errors expressed as a percentage of the estimate provided.Source: ABARES Australian Dairy Industry Survey

Performance of vegetable industry farms—Western Australia

Nationally in 2013–14, average farm cash income is estimated to have declined to $156 000, 4 per cent lower than in 2012–13. Average to above average seasonal conditions helped growers to maintain the high yields of 2012–13. Overall vegetable production was also higher because the average area planted to vegetable crops increased. However, the resulting increase in vegetable cash receipts was partially offset by lower vegetable prices.

Average farm cash income in Western Australia increased in 2012–13 to $273 600 (Table 5), 12 per cent higher than the eight-year average (in real terms) to 2012–13 (Figure 8). Yields were slightly lower, although an increase in the total area planted and higher prices for most vegetables resulted in increased total cash receipts. Production of onions and carrots increased, but declined for broccoli and lettuce, mostly reflecting the change in the area planted to these vegetables.

Average farm cash income is estimated to have increased further in 2013–14 to an average of $321 000 (Table 5), the highest estimated average farm cash income (in real terms) for vegetable growing farms in the state since ABARES began surveying in 2007 (Figure 8). Although farmgate prices for most of the main vegetable commodities are estimated to have decreased, the area planted to vegetables increased and yields remained about the same as 2012–13, increasing overall production and holding up vegetable cash receipts. Average total cash costs decreased as a result of reduced expenditure on capital items such as repairs and maintenance, plant hire and interest paid.

Table 5 Physical and financial performance, vegetable growing farm businesses,Western Australia, 2012–13 and 2013–14

average per farm

Selected estimates

units

2012–13 p

RSE

% Changefrom 2011–12

2013–14 y

RSE

% Changefrom 2012–13

Vegetable cash receipts

$

1 044 600

(13)

1

1 062 000

(27)

2

Area sown to vegetables

ha

28.5

(17)

18

30.8

(26)

8

Quantity of vegetables produced

t

1 184

(20)

18

1 409

(31)

19

Farm cash income

$

273 600

(6)

6

321 000

(33)

21

Note: p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate. RSE Relative standard errors, expressed as a percentage of the estimate. Updated data for vegetable farm businesses will be available November 2015.Source: ABARES Australian vegetable growing farms survey

Figure 8 Real farm cash income, vegetable growing farm businesses,Western Australia, 2005–06 to 2013–14

average per farm

Note: p Preliminary estimate. y Provisional estimate.Source: ABARES Australian vegetable growing farms survey

Fisheries Sector

Perth’s coastline represents a small part of the West Coast bioregion but plays a major part in the State’s overall seafood industry. Perth is an important landing and home port for fisheries in the region as well as the centre of seafood processing, wholesale and retail sales and an input supply point. A range of State fisheries operate directly from Perth including the Cockburn Sound and Warnbro Sound Crab Managed Fisheries, catching predominantly blue swimmer crabs, and the Developing Octopus Fishery. Western rock lobster from the West Coast is also landed in the region. The southern part of Cockburn Sound is the main area in the State where aquaculture produced mussels are farmed. A large proportion of Western Australia’s fisheries catch is directed through Perth on the way to valuable export markets. It is also a major area for recreational fishing.

The main Commonwealth fishery active in the Greater Perth region is the Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery. Target species for the fishery include striped marlin, swordfish, albacore, bigeye tuna, longtail tuna and yellowfin tuna. There has been very little fishing activity in this fishery in recent years.

In 2012–13, the gross value of Western Australian fisheries production (both aquaculture and wild-catch) was $426.8 million, an increase of 10 per cent ($37.6 million) from 2011–12. Western Australia accounted for 18 per cent of the total value of Australian fisheries production in 2012–13. In value terms, the wild-catch sector accounted for around 78 per cent ($330.8 million) of the state’s total production and the aquaculture sector accounted for the remaining 22 per cent ($96 million).

Western Australia’s wild-catch sector is dominated by the production of western rocklobster, which accounted for around 72 per cent of the state’s total wild-catch production in 2012–13. Other major wild-catch seafood products include prawns (8 per cent of value of state production in 2012–13) and abalone (3 per cent). Over the past decade the real value of Western Australian wild-caught fisheries is estimated to have declined by 42 per cent. The decline in value was mostly driven by a 54 per cent decline in total production volume.

The product for which the real value of production declined most over the past decade is western rocklobster, falling by 36 per cent to $237 million in 2012–13. This was the result of a 47 per cent reduction in the volume caught. A large proportion of rocklobster production is exported, mostly to Hong Kong. Exchange rate movements have a significant effect on the value of rocklobster exports and, in turn, production.

Prawns also account for a significant proportion of Western Australian wild-catch production, accounting for an estimated 11 per cent and 8 per cent of the total volume and value, respectively, of wild-catch production in 2012–13. The real value of prawn production decreased by 19 per cent to $26.7 million in 2012–13. This reflects mostly a 23 per cent decline in production volume.

The value of Western Australian aquaculture has generally declined over the past decade by 44 per cent to $96 million in 2012–13. Most of the decline in the value of Western Australian aquaculture can be attributed to a decline in the value of pearl oyster production.

The value of aquaculture production in 2012–13 declined by 12 per cent ($13 million) to $96 million. This decline was mainly the result of a $14 million decline (15 per cent) in the value of pearl production. Pearls are the most valuable aquaculture product in the state and contributed around 83 per cent ($79 million) of aquaculture production value in 2012–13. The edible seafood component of Western Australia’s aquaculture sector accounted for 17 per cent ($16.8 million) of total aquaculture production value in 2012–13.

In 2012–13, Western Australia’s seafood product exports were valued at $303.9 million, representing a 24 per cent increase in value compared with 2011–12. The main export seafood product is western rocklobster, which accounted for 93 per cent of the state’s exports of seafood in 2012–13. Other major export seafood products include prawns (4 per cent) and abalone (2 per cent).

Vietnam and Hong Kong are the major destination for Western Australian seafood exports, accounting for around for 48 per cent and 33 per cent of the total value of exports in 2011–12 respectively. Other major export destinations include Japan (6 per cent) and the United States (6 per cent).

Recreational fishing is a popular activity in Western Australia, with an estimated 643 000 people fishing recreationally in the state (Government of Western Australia 2013). Most of the activity is in the Perth and surrounding area owing to the large proportion of the Western Australia population living in that region. It also makes a significant contribution to the state economy and attracts thousands of visitors to regional Western Australia each year (Government of Western Australia 2013). There is also a large charter boat sector providing recreational fishing experiences to local, interstate and international tourists.

The waters adjacent to the Greater Perth region account for about half of the recreational fishing effort for the state (Henry and Lyle 2003). Line fishing is popular in the local estuaries (Swan-Canning and Peel-Harvey) and on ocean beaches where the catch is dominated by Australian herring, whiting, tailor, garfish, silver trevally. Blue swimmer crabs are a very popular target species for recreational fishers in the estuaries using dip nets or scoop nets from boats and shore. Roe’s abalone are collected by fishers wading or snorkelling on inshore reefs in the Greater Perth region. The fishery is managed intensively, with collecting only allowed on five days during the period November to March.

Forestry Sector

In 2010–11, the total plantation area in the Greater Perth region was approximately 20 200 hectares. The main softwood species planted is maritime pine (Pinus pinaster).

In 2011, there were approximately 256 000 hectares of native forests in the Greater Perth region, comprised mainly of Eucalypt medium open (135 800 hectares) and Eucalypt medium woodland (95 900 hectares) forest types. Approximately 101 200 hectares of native forests are multiple-use public forest available for timber production, 82 300 hectares are privately owned and 67 100 hectares are in nature conservation reserves (Figure 9). The timber processing industry in the Greater Perth region is a wood-based panel mill in Neerabup.

Figure 9 Area of native forest, by tenure

(Leasehold forest (0 ha—0.0%)Multiple-use public forest (101 200 ha—39.5%)Nature conservation reserve (67 100 ha—26.2%)Other Crown land (5400 ha—2.1%)Private land (including Indigenous) (82 300 ha—32.1%)Unresolved tenure (0 ha—0.0%))

Source: ABARES Australia’s State of the Forests Report 2013

Total sales and service income for the Western Australia forest and wood product industry was estimated at approximately $1.3 billion in 2012–13, of which $997 million was from wood product sales and the remaining $326 million was from the sale of paper and paper products. Western Australia produces and exports a range of forest products including woodchips. In 2010–11, Western Australia exported 1.6 million tonnes of woodchips valued at approximately $326 million. In 2011–12, the volume and value of woodchip exports both declined, to 1.5 million tonnes and $287 million respectively. In 2011, Western Australia’s forestry sector employed 5 580 workers (0.5 per cent of the total employed workforce in Western Australia) compared with 5 972 (0.5 per cent) in 2006 (number of people employed includes forestry support services and timber wholesaling).

References

ABS 2011, Census of Population and Housing, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

ABS 2014a, Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2012–2013, cat. no. 7121.0, Australian Bureau Statistics, Canberra.

ABS 2014b, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2014, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003, Australian Bureau Statistics, Canberra.

ABS 2014c, Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, 2012–13, cat. no. 7503.0, Australian Bureau Statistics, Canberra.

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics-Bureau of Rural Sciences 2010, Land use of Australia 2005-06, Version 4, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.

ABARES 2014, Catchment scale land use of Australia – update March 2014. Department of Agriculture. http://data.daff.gov.au/anrdl/metadata_files/pb_luausg9abll20140506_11a.xml

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences 2014, Australian forest and wood products statistics: March and June quarters 2014, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra.

Fletcher, W & Santoro, K (eds). 2012, Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia 2011/12:The State of the Fisheries Department of Fisheries, Western Australia.

Government of Western Australia 2013, Recreational Fishing Guide 2013 – simpler rules for better fishing, Department of Fisheries, Perth.

Henry, GW & Lyle, JM (eds) 2003, The National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey, FRDC project no. 99/158, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.

Montreal Process Implementation Group for Australia and National Forest Inventory Steering Committee 2013, Australia’s State of the Forests Report 2013, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra.

4

14

-50 100 150 Agriculture, Forestry and FishingInformation Media and TelecommunicationsElectricity, Gas, Water and Waste ServicesArts and Recreation ServicesRental, Hiring and Real Estate ServicesFinancial and Insurance ServicesAdministrative and Support ServicesWholesale TradeOther ServicesTransport, Postal and WarehousingPublic Administration and SafetyAccommodation and Food ServicesMiningManufacturingEducation and TrainingProfessional, Scientific and Technical ServicesConstructionRetail TradeHealth Care and Social Assistance

Employed total ('000)

$m50100150200OtherHayEggsMilkCattle and calvesGrapesFruit and nuts (excluding grapes)Nurseries, cut flowers and turfVegetables

%102030405060< $50k$50k to $150k$150k to $350k$350k to $500k$500k to $1 m> $1 mShare of farmsShare of value of agricultural operations

2014–15 $’00050100150200250300AustraliaWestern Australia

2014–15 $’00050100150200250300350400450AustraliaWestern Australia

–502014–15 $’00050100150AustraliaWestern Australia

2014–15 $’00050100150200250300350AustraliaWestern Australia

0501001502002503003502005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–13 p2013–14 y$'0002013–14