{"id":199216,"date":"2018-01-22T15:31:33","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T05:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=199216"},"modified":"2020-08-08T15:06:17","modified_gmt":"2020-08-08T05:06:17","slug":"positive-outlook-for-regions-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/01\/22\/positive-outlook-for-regions-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"Positive Outlook For Region’s Agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DAF’s latest AgTrends report is forecasting a good year for several of the South Burnett’s key agricultural commodities such as avocados, sorghum and beef (Photo: Rob Patch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 22, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

The six-month outlook for several of the South Burnett’s key agricultural crops looks positive, according to DAF’s latest AgTrends report.<\/p>\n

Avocados and sorghum are both forecast to increase in value this financial year.<\/p>\n

And while cattle have come slightly off the boil, the gross value of Queensland’s cattle production at the farm gate in 2017-18 is forecast to be $5.38 billion, which is 13 per cent higher than the average for the past five years.<\/p>\n

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said the total value of Queensland\u2019s primary industry commodities for 2017-18 was estimated to be $19.87 billion.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This would be 5 per cent less than 2016-17 but still 11 per cent higher than the average for the past five years.<\/p>\n

“There are a number of factors that are causing some industries to be down, while others are expected to increase in value,” Mr Furner said.<\/p>\n

“For example, avocados are forecast to be $240 million, 44 per cent greater than the average for the past five years.<\/p>\n

“And sorghum for the September quarter of 2017-18 is projected to be $359 million, which is 13 per cent higher than the average for the past five years.”<\/p>\n

Mr Furner noted some agricultural commodities have dipped in value compared with previous years.<\/p>\n

“There are a number of reasons for this lower forecast,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Take beef, our most significant agricultural commodity, which entered a rebuilding phase following years of record cattle turn-off for processing and live export.<\/p>\n

“The total value of cattle and calves is expected to be six per cent lower than 2016-17, but it is still Queensland’s single biggest agricultural commodity.”<\/p>\n

The top Queensland agricultural commodities for 2017-18 are:<\/strong><\/p>\n