Agriculture - Statistics - Murrumbidgee (SD)
Murrumbidgee (SD)

Introduction
Murrumbidgee Statistical Division covers 8 percent of the State and contains 2.4 percent of the population.
The Murrumbidgee River traverses the Division from east to west, with the area west of Narrandera containing the Murrumbidgee and other irrigation areas. Wagga Wagga, the major centre of regional significance, is located in the eastern portion of the Division. The region is characterised by cold temperatures in winter in the hilly eastern region, and warm to hot summers and cool winters in the western region. Average rainfall (in millimetres) varies from 1,360 at Batlow and 880 at Tumut to 550 at Wagga Wagga, 620 at Cootamundra, and 330 to 450 in the Irrigation areas and more westerly parts. The railway system is widespread in the Division. The main southern line passes through the eastern section linking Cootamundra, Junee, and Wagga Wagga to Albury, and from it many branch lines serve other areas. The branch lines are of particular importance to the wheat industry. Three highways run north
The value of building jobs approved in 1995-96 was $191 million, of which 55.62 per cent were accounted for in Wagga Wagga(C).
The Division had significant agricultural activities during 1994-95. The area with the largest area sown to wheat was Carrathool(A) with 21.9 percent of the total for the Division, followed by Narrandera(A) with 15.2 percent, then Coolamon(A) with 12.8 percent. About 45.9 per cent of the State's total area grown to rice was located in the division. Of this 87.6 percent is located in three areas: Griffith(C) with 40.8 percent; Murrumbidgee(A) with 24.8 percent; and Leeton(A)with 21.4 percent. As a proportion of the Division's total, Griffith(C) had 86.5 percent of the area under grape vines; 54 percent of the value of vegetables; and 55 percent of the value of citrus fruit.
The largest number of manufacturing establishments in 1993-94 were located in Wagga Wagga(C) with 105 establishments, followed by Griffith(C) with 58 establishments. Together they represented 63 percent of manufacturing establishments, 67.1 percent of employment manufacturing, and 76 per cent of turnover from manufacturing.
The figures reported here are a subset of the Agricultural Census data from 1982/1983 to 1996/1997 published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, AgStats). The data has been analysed by the Bureau of Rural Sciences using a consistent geographic base. Further information about the data is available from the Australian Spatial Data Directory
The figures and text are reproduced with permission of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, © Commonwealth of Australia, 2000.
Statistics
Area of region (ha): 6,341,755.07
Area
Agroforestry
- Area of Seedlings Sown (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 27 )
- Area of Seed Sown (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 542 )
Apples
- Number of Apples Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 374,146 )
- Number of Apples Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 483,828 )
- Kilograms of Apples produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 26,350,250 )
Berry Fruit
- Area of Raspberries not yet bearing (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 0.1 )
- Area of Raspberries bearing (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 0.4 )
- Kilograms of Raspberries produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,500 )
- Area of Strawberries bearing (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 2.0 )
- Kilograms of Strawberries produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,000 )
Cattle and Calves
- Number of Milk Cows (in Milk and Dry) at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 4,100 )
- Number of Meat Cattle at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 579,067 )
Cereals excluding Rice
- Area of Wheat produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 335,809 )
- Tonnes of Wheat produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 908,338 )
- Area of Oats produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 100,010 )
- Tonnes of Oats produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 166,959 )
- Area of Barley produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 114,515 )
- Tonnes of Barley produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 244,614 )
- Area of Grain Sorghum produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,091 )
- Tonnes of Grain Sorghum produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 9,311 )
- Area of Maize produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 10,903 )
- Tonnes of Maize produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 107,117 )
- Area of Millet and Panicum produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 271 )
- Tonnes of Millet and Panicum produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 399 )
- Area of Triticale produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 33,720 )
- Tonnes of Triticale produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 95,474 )
- Area of Cereal crops cut for hay (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 26,520 )
- Tonnes of Cereal crops cut for hay (Value in 1996/1997 = 103,760 )
Citrus
- Number of Orange Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 326,146 )
- Number of Orange Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,990,627 )
- Kilograms of Oranges produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 109,880,638 )
- Number of Lemon and Lime Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 5,673 )
- Number of Lemons and Limes Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 25,257 )
- Kilograms of Lemons and Limes produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,882,168 )
- Number of Mandarin Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 10,226 )
- Number of Mandarin Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 13,439 )
- Kilograms of Mandarins produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 696,258 )
Cotton
- Area of Cotton - Irrigated (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,326 )
- Kilograms of Cotton - Irrigated - produced for seed (Value in 1996/1997 = 4,642,960 )
Grapes
- Area of Grapes (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 6,584 )
- Tonnes of Grapes - total produced (fresh weight) (Value in 1996/1997 = 91,087 )
Legumes
- Area of Mung Beans (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 379 )
- Tonnes of Mung Beans produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 490 )
- Area of Soybeans (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,978 )
- Tonnes of Soybeans produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 4,559 )
- Area of Lupins produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 42,345 )
- Tonnes of Lupins produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 50,921 )
- Area of Field Peas produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 8,500 )
- Tonnes of Field Peas produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 10,959 )
- Area of Chick Peas (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 581 )
- Tonnes of Chick Peas produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 427 )
- Area of Faba Beans (including Tick and Horse) (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 911 )
- Tonnes of Faba Beans (including Tick and Horse) produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,847 )
Nuts
- Number of Almond Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 837 )
- Number of Almond Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 7,707 )
- Kilograms of Almonds produced (kernel weight) (Value in 1996/1997 = 68,000 )
- Number of Macadamia Trees 6 years and under (Value in 1996/1997 = 85 )
- Number of Macadamia Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 9,516 )
- Kilograms of Macadamia produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 49,594 )
Oilseeds
- Area of Canola (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 72,597 )
- Tonnes of Canola produced (clean seed) (Value in 1996/1997 = 128,657 )
- Area of Safflower (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 3,448 )
- Tonnes of Safflower produced (clean Seed) (Value in 1996/1997 = 3,080 )
- Area of Sunflower (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,398 )
- Tonnes of Sunflower produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,490 )
Other Livestock
- Number of Deer (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,418 )
- Number of Horses Stud (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,677 )
- Number of Livestock not elsewhere considered (short form) (Value in 1996/1997 = 7,511 )
Other Non-Cereal Crops
- Area of Cultivated Turf (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 24 )
- Area of Cut Flowers (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 5.0 )
Other Vegetables
- Area of Asparagus (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 37 )
- Tonnes of Asparagus produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 185 )
- Area of Beetroot (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 6.0 )
- Tonnes of Beetroot produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 20 )
- Area of Broccoli (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 63 )
- Kilograms of Broccoli produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 340,000 )
- Area of Cabbages (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 5.2 )
- Tonnes of Cabbages produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 54 )
- Area of Capsicum Chillies and Peppers (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1.5 )
- Kilograms of Capsicum Chillies and Peppers produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 6,400 )
- Area of Carrots (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 917 )
- Tonnes of Carrots produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 14,351 )
- Area of Cauliflower (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 10 )
- Tonnes of Cauliflower produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 120 )
- Area of Cucumbers (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 407 )
- Kilograms of Cucumbers produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 5,015,000 )
- Area of Lettuce (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 173 )
- Tonnes of Lettuce produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,448 )
- Area of Rock Melons (including Cantaloupe) (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 433 )
- Tonnes of Rock Melons (including Cantaloupe) produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 7,058 )
- Area of Water Melons (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 124 )
- Tonnes of Water Melons produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,030 )
- Area of Melons (not elsewhere classified) (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 3.0 )
- Tonnes of Melons (not elsewhere classified) produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 24 )
- Area of White and Brown Onions (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 510 )
- Tonnes of White and Brown Onions produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 11,756 )
- Area of Parsnips (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 37 )
- Tonnes of Parsnips produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,006 )
- Area of Green Peas (for processing) (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 300 )
- Kilograms of Green Peas (for processing) produced - (shelled weight) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,591,674 )
- Area of Pumpkins, Triambles, Trombones etc. (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 782 )
- Tonnes of Pumpkins, Triambles, Trombones etc. produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 11,963 )
- Area of Sweet Corn (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,361 )
- Tonnes of Sweet Corn produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 22,289 )
- Area of Swedes (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 12 )
- Tonnes of Swedes produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 298 )
- Area of Other Vegetables (not elsewhere classified) (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 3.2 )
Pastures
- Area of Lucerne (pure), year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 32,891 )
- Area of Pasture Legumes (excluding Lucerne), year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 71,409 )
- Area of Sown Grasses, year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 11,436 )
- Area of Native or Naturalised Pasture, year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 719,622 )
- Area of Mixed Perennial Grasses and Legumes, year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 145,697 )
- Area of Mixed Annual Grasses and Legumes, year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 183,256 )
- Area of Sown Pasture (excluding Pure Lucerne) , year ending 31 March (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,216,664 )
- Area of Pastures (excluding Lucerne) cut for hay (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 31,426 )
- Tonnes of Pasture (excluding Lucerne) cut for hay (Value in 1996/1997 = 102,217 )
Pears
- Number of Pear Trees (excluding Nashi) under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,104 )
- Number of Pear Trees (excluding Nashi) 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 9,099 )
- Kilograms of Pears (excluding Nashi) Total produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 313,204 )
- Number of Nashi Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 376 )
- Number of Nashi Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 232 )
- Kilograms of Nashi produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,952 )
Pigs
Potatoes
- Area of Potatoes (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,226 )
- Tonnes of Potatoes produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 47,567 )
Poultry
- Number of Meat Chickens grown on own account at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,900,000 )
- Eggs (dozens) produced for human consumption (Value in 1996/1997 = 6,651,090 )
Rice
- Area of Rice produced for grain (ha) (Value in 1996/1997 = 62,128 )
- Tonnes of Rice produced for grain (Value in 1996/1997 = 454,733 )
Sales of Livestock
- Number of Sales of Sheep (Value in 1996/1997 = 950,431 )
- Number of Sales of Lambs (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,235,455 )
- Number of Sales of Cattle and Calves (except Bulls sold for breeding) (Value in 1996/1997 = 224,102 )
- Number of Sales of Pigs (Value in 1996/1997 = 112,219 )
- Number of Sales of Other Livestock not elsewhere considered (short form) (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,124 )
Sheep and Lambs
- Number of Breeding Ewes 1 year and over at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 3,051,963 )
- Number of Lambs and Hoggets under 1 year at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,362,440 )
- Number of Sheep and Lambs at 31 March (Value in 1996/1997 = 5,657,617 )
- Number of All Other Sheep (excluding Breeding Ewes) (Value in 1996/1997 = 1,243,214 )
Stone Fruit
- Number of Apricot Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 10,087 )
- Number of Apricot Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 15,274 )
- Kilograms of Apricots produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 311,260 )
- Number of Avocado Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 275 )
- Kilograms of Avocados produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 300 )
- Number of Cherry Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 13,552 )
- Number of Cherry Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 7,125 )
- Kilograms of Cherries produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 20,720 )
- Number of Nectarine Trees 6 years and under (Value in 1996/1997 = 182,289 )
- Number of Nectarine Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 108,843 )
- Kilograms of Nectarines produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 2,317,813 )
- Number of Peach Trees under 6 years (Value in 1996/1997 = 164,703 )
- Number of Peach Trees 6 years and over (Value in 1996/1997 = 113,751 )
- Kilograms of Peaches produced (Value in 1996/1997 = 5,969,817 )
Further information
Please Note: Not all the selected data items are available for every year or for every statistical region.
The figures reported here are a subset of the Agricultural Census data from 1982/1983 to 1996/1997 published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, AgStats). The data have been analysed by Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia to report them using a consistent geographic base. Further information about the data is available through the Australian Spatial Data Directory.
The subset includes 436 data items for plant production and 40 data items for livestock which were commonly available in the AgStats database over the 15 year period and each year for respondents having an Estimated Value of Agricultural Operations (EVAO) above the cut-off of $22,500.
The data have been concorded by bringing data collected using different geographies to a consistent geographic base, being Version 2.6 Statistical Local Area (SLA) boundaries (ABS, 1996) and using the non-agricultural lands mask from the National Land and Water Resources Audit's National Landuse Map (1996/1997).
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