Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing is the third largest employing sector in the Armidale Region and produces the second largest export value. Beef production is a major export, but Armidale also produces over half of NSW's tomatoes.
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$384 million
contribution to local output
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1,606
jobs supported
913
local businesses
$162 million
value generated in the region
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$292 million
exports to extrenal markets
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>$70 million
Beef production
A MAJOR LOCAL INDUSTRY
- • Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing is a substantial provider of wealth in the Armidale Region. Its share of output and value added in 2018/19 was effectively double the regional NSW average.
• It is the second largest generator of exports for the Region, providing almost a third of total exports in 2018/19.
• 1 in every 10 workers in Armidale Region work in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector.
"Just over 30% of the businesses in Armidale Region are in Agriculture, most of them family run farms "
"In 2019, the offices of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) were moved to Armidale reflecting its strength in agricultural knowledge and expertise"
RECENT GROWTH
- • Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing has averaged 0.2% p.a. growth in value added over the last decade, but the last three years has seen slightly stronger increases in contrast to a regional NSW decline.
• Exports in the sector have grown slightly above the regional NSW average over the decade. The last three years has been particularly strong.
• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing jobs have grown by 0.7% p.a. over the decade, and recent jobs growth has averaged 2.9% p.a., well above the regional NSW average.
KEY SUB-INDUSTRIES
- • Agriculture is the largest contributor within the Sector, generating $148M in value added in 2018/19, or 92% of the total.
• The largest numbers of businesses are in Specialised Beef Cattle Farming (192 in 2019), and Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming (145 in 2019).
"UNE hosts a number of facilities aimied at improving agriculture productivity including the Livestock Industries Centre and the SMART Farm Innovation Centre"
"Controlled Environment
Horticulture is becoming a growth industry in the Armidale region led by the Costa Group expansion at Guyra"
GROWTH IN TOMATOES COUNTERACTING WEAK BEEF PRODUCTION
- • The production of beef generates the most value in the Armidale region, but this value has fluctuated. The value of production in 2018/19 was estimated to be lower than five years previous.
• The value of tomatoes production in the region has doubled in the last five years, growing by an estimated $16.7M to exceed $31M in 2018/19.
• Lamb and wool are the two other largest commodities averaging $18-22M in value over the five years.
WORKFORCE CHARACTERISTICS
49
years
old
69%
31%
Median
Age
Male
Female
(52 years)
(71%)
(29%)
Source: ABS Census, 2016;
(Regional NSW)
16%
Born o/s
(10%)
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22%
34%
Degree Educated
Owner-Manager
(13%)
(39%)
74%
Full-Time
(70%)
$37,440
Median
Income
($40,888)
- In 2016:
• Armidale Region workers were slightly younger, less likely to be male and more likely to be born overseas than the regional NSW average.
• A higher share of workers were degree educated.
• A lower share of workers managed their own business.
• Workers were more likely to be working full-time than the regional NSW average but were earning lower median incomes.
Costa Group
Costa is one of Australia’s leading growers of fresh fruit and vegetables. They operate a major glasshouse facility outside Guyra. The glasshouses have 302,400 square metres (30.22ha) of growing area (approximately 12 AFL football fields) and at peak production hold more than one million plants.
