CABNBERRA: A rural think tank is warning Australia’s agriculture export performance is waning in the face of stiff competition from rising agricultural producers.
At the centre of the issue is Australia’s lack of new farm lands, which has effectively capped agricultural production when compared with countries in Asian and South America where production is expanding. The Australian Farm Institute’s trade review concludes that with little opportunity to expand production, Australian agriculture needs a renewed focus on productivity gains.
“In effect, Australia is losing market share in those neighbouring markets that we identify as our own,” director Mick Keogh said. “That really is a wake up call about the need to be competitive and to be not assuming these markets are ours and there for the taking.”
The AFI’s analysis found the growth of Australia’s exports to every global region except Oceania and North Asia was slower than the equivalent global growth figure. Alarmingly, the report also finds that in addition to the volume of exports fall, so too is the value.
