Grains
Victorian grains exports 2021-22
Victoria is Australia’s third largest grains export state by value, with all of Australia’s main grains exporting jurisdictions (Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia) benefiting from strong grains production and global prices in 2021-22.
Victoria’s grains growing areas are mainly located in western and northern Victoria, predominantly in the Mallee, Wimmera and North Central regions, and some parts of southern Victoria within high rainfall zones. In Victoria, there is approximately 3.6 million hectares of farmland under grains production in any given year.
Victorian grains exports recorded another exceptional year in 2021-22, valued at $4.4 billion, up 73 per cent on 2020-21 and making grains Victoria’s most valuable export for the year. The grains export performance was underpinned by strong global prices and above average yields.
Cereal exports totalled $2.5 billion in 2021-22, up 83 per cent on the previous year. Wheat was the largest cereal export category (74 per cent by value) followed by barley (25 per cent by value). Larger volumes of cereals were available for export due to a reduction in the volume of Victorian cereal sent interstate to drought affected regions.
Barley exports rebounded to $609 million in 2021-22, up 43 per cent on the previous year, predominantly supported by high global prices.
Exports of oilseeds (canola) grew by 81 per cent to $1.2 billion due to record global canola prices and high export volume thanks to high levels of planting and production. For the second year in a row, Victorian growers produced over 1 million tonnes of oilseed. Europe was once again the dominant destination for Victoria’s canola exports.
Export of pulses increased in value by 42 per cent to reach $548 million in 2021-22 while export volumes grew by 12 per cent. Victorian pulse production and export was led by lentils and fava beans.
Container exports of grains and pulses over 2021-22 continued to be impacted by sea freight issues including shipping availability, lack of containers and increased freight costs. Export of pulses to India were assisted by a return to bulk exports, returning after many years due to poor container availability and high costs for individual containers.
Victoria’s top 10 markets for grains exports all showed significant export growth. China was the largest export market, up 207 per cent on the previous year to $555 million in value in 2021-22. Bangladesh and Japan, Victoria’s second and third largest grains export markets, grew by 668 per cent and 733 per cent respectively.
Victorian grains^ exports by product category and item (A$ million, ‘000 tonnes)
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grains exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
*$ change and % change based on the difference between 2020-21 and 2021-22 data. Volumes are shown in gross weights.
| Product and item | 2020-21 A$ | 2020-21 Vol | 2021-22 A$ | 2021-22 Vol | Value % change between 2020-21 & 2021-22* | Volume % change between 2020-21 & 2021-22* | Industry representation % by value | Industry representation % by volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | 346 | 1,254 | 609 | 1,620 | 76% | 29% | 14% | 20% |
| Maize | 7 | 15 | 26 | 57 | 302% | 274% | 1% | 1% |
| Other cereals | 14 | 37 | 15 | 35 | 10% | -6% | 0% | 0% |
| Sorghum | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | -31% | -42% | 0% | 0% |
| Wheat | 986 | 2,897 | 1,822 | 4,199 | 85% | 45% | 41% | 52% |
| Oilseeds | 653 | 866 | 1,184 | 1,156 | 81% | 33% | 27% | 14% |
| Malt | 130 | 211 | 186 | 297 | 43% | 40% | 4% | 4% |
| Milled products | 27 | 25 | 29 | 29 | 5% | 16% | 1% | 0% |
| Pulses | 386 | 552 | 548 | 617 | 42% | 12% | 12% | 8% |
| Total Victoria | 2,550 | 5,861 | 4,421 | 8,011 | 73% | 37% | 100% | 100% |
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grains exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
*$ change and % change based on the difference between 2020-21 and 2021-22 data. Volumes are shown in gross weights.
| Product and item | 2016-17 A$ | 2016-17 Vol | 2017-18 A$ | 2017-18 Vol | 2018-19 A$ | 2018-19 Vol | 2019-20 A$ | 2019-20 Vol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | 0 | 0 | 118 | 386 | 51 | 135 | 94 | 267 |
| Maize | 7 | 17 | 5 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 5 |
| Other cereals | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0.3 |
| Sorghum | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheat | 802 | 2,949 | 806 | 2,890 | 168 | 479 | 250 | 586 |
| Oilseeds | 446 | 801 | 257 | 461 | 104 | 167 | 240 | 355 |
| Malt | 93 | 158 | 80 | 144 | 132 | 207 | 146 | 201 |
| Milled products | 25 | 28 | 18 | 23 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 15 |
| Pulses | 411 | 534 | 229 | 385 | 165 | 205 | 357 | 491 |
| Total Victoria | 1,786 | 4,489 | 1,514 | 4,304 | 644 | 1,226 | 1,104 | 1,920 |
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grains exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
*$ change and % change based on the difference between 2020-21 and 2021-22 data. Volumes are shown in gross weights.
Top 15 countries for Victorian grains^ exports by value (A$ million)
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grains exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
| Country | Value of grain exports ($A million) |
|---|---|
| China | 555 |
| Bangladesh | 302 |
| Japan | 299 |
| Vietnam | 283 |
| Indonesia | 216 |
| Belgium | 204 |
| United Arab Emirates | 198 |
| Thailand | 175 |
| Germany | 154 |
| United Kingdom | 151 |
| Mexico | 139 |
| New Zealand | 135 |
| Philippines | 122 |
| France | 121 |
| Malaysia | 109 |
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grains exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
Value (%) Australian grains^ exports by state 2021-22*
*others refers to ACT, NT, re-exports, and exports for which no state details are released for confidentiality reasons.
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grain exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
| State or Territory | A$ million | % share |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 4,421 | 18% |
| New South Wales | 5,115 | 20% |
| Queensland | 2,153 | 9% |
| South Australia | 3,941 | 16% |
| Tasmania | 4 | 0% |
| Western Australia | 8,893 | 35% |
| Others* | 589 | 2% |
| Total Australia | 25,116 | 100% |
^Export figures need to be used with caution. Some grain exports are affected by confidentiality agreements.
*others refers to ACT, NT, re-exports, and exports for which no state details are released for confidentiality reasons
More information
For more insights, download the Victorian food and fibre export performance 2021-22 brochure.
- Victorian food and fibre export performance 2021-22 brochure (PDF - 2.5 MB)
- Victorian food and fibre export performance 2021-22 brochure (WORD - 399.8 KB)
To view five years of export data across industries and markets, download the Victorian food and fibre export performance 2021-22 data tables.