Australian Agriculture and Chinese Agriculture - Essay Example

In the 1900s, greater diversity in crops and agricultural products emerged in Australia. Among the predominant produce, aside from wool and wheat were beef, different grain varieties, fruits, and vegetables. Sugar and grapes also emerged as income-generating products.

The early part of the 20th century marked the growth of production in agricultural products beyond what the population could consume, necessitating exports to international markets (Australian Government, par. 10). The incentives provided by the Australian Government to encourage production and discourage imports paved the way for continued growth in the agricultural sector of Australia. It was thereby revealed that “across much of the early 20th century, the Australian government provided assistance to farmers and primary producers in the form of bounties, to encourage production, employment, and export. The government also placed tariffs on some goods to discourage imports” (Australian Government, par. 11).

                 The official report on Australia’s agriculture, fisheries, and forestry in 2010 reveals that a total of sixty percent of agricultural produce is being exported and has generated $32 billion during the period 2008 to 2009 (At a glance, 5). In this regard, the research aims to proffer relevant features of Australian agriculture, to delve into its role in the growth and development of the economy, to determine its current status together with its advantages and disadvantages, recent improvements, and future trends. After determining current problems, the research would recommend courses of action to address the dilemmas affecting agriculture in Australia.

• Features of Australia Agriculture

                 The contemporary status of agriculture in Australia is measured in terms of its gross value of domestic production or GDP which, as of 2002, was revealed to amount to $39.6 Billion (Australian Bureau of Statistics, par. 1). There are other measures of the contribution of agriculture to the economy of Australia, to wit:

• “gross farm product (GFP), which is a measure of the value-added in production contributed by businesses classified to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) Subdivision 01 (Agriculture). In 1999-2000 GFP was calculated to be $17.6 billion, or just under 3% of gross domestic product;

• aggregate turnover of all businesses classified to ANZSIC Subdivision 01 with an EVAO of $22,500 or more, as collected in the annual Agricultural Finance Survey. In 1999-2000 aggregate turnover was estimated to be $28.5 billion. This figure includes some turnover attributable to non-agricultural sales conducted by these businesses, but similarly, excludes turnover from agricultural activities conducted by businesses classified to other industries;
• the number of persons employed by businesses classified to ANZSIC Subdivision 01 with an EVAO of $22,500 or more, which for 1999-2000 was 319,000 persons;