The Rural Crisis Downunder: Australia’s Declining Fortunes in the Global Farm Economy

The greater proportion of the income of most Australian farms is obtained from the sale of a combination of no more than two or three agricultural products. Wool, wheat and beef are three of the main commodities produced by the majority of Australia’s 174 000 commercial farmers in extensive dryland systems. Dairy products, sugar and rice are produced by specialist farmers in higher rainfall coastal regions or inland irrigated areas. These commodities have dominated Australian agricultural production in past decades and can be considered the main products upon which Australia relies for the generation of overseas agricultural earnings.