ABS confirms Aussie record cotton crop in 2011-12

Production for NSW was up by 21% to 604,000 tonnes for the period, while Queensland's production rose by 6% to 369,000 tonnes.

The ABS also reported the area of land used for agriculture in Australia fell by 1% in 2011-12, to 405 million ha. However, the area planted to crops remained steady over the period at 32.0 million ha.

Of Australia's total land area, approximately 53% was used for agriculture. The highest proportion of use, 79% of state area, was Queensland.

Other key national facts for the period, as reported by the ABS:

-121,000 businesses reported agriculture as their main activity, with beef cattle the largest sector (comprising almost one-third of businesses)

- 14,700 businesses undertook agricultural operations as a secondary activity

- the canola harvest was also the largest on record at 3.4 million tonnes

- wheat production increased by 9% over the previous year, to 29.9 million tonnes

- lupin production increased nationally by 22% to 982,000 tonnes

- the area planted to sugar cane for crushing increased by 10% to 339,000 tonnes, although production only rose by 3% over the previous year to 26.0 million tonnes

Cotton Australia