Australian beef: Financial performance of beef cattle producing farms, 2012-13 to 2014-15

This report presents the detailed financial performance of beef cattle producing farms in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 and discusses incomes, investment, farm debt, costs of beef production in a historical context. It draws heavily on data from the ABARES annual Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey (AAGIS). The report was commissioned by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). \r\n\r\n Key Issues \r\n• Farm cash incomes of beef cattle producing farms increased strongly in 2014-15 as a result of increased cattle prices and the highest beef cattle turn-off in 36 years. \r\n• In northern Australia, farm cash income for beef cattle producing farms is estimated to have increased from an average of $74 700 a farm in 2013-14 to an average of $148 000 a farm in 2014-15. This is around 50 per cent above the average for the previous 10 years, in real terms. \r\n• In southern Australia, farm cash income of specialist beef cattle producing farms, those farms mainly reliant on beef cattle production, is estimated to have increased from an average of $38 100 a farm in 2013-14 to $64 000 a farm in 2014-15. This is around 35 per cent above the average for the 10 years ending 2013-14. \r\n• Part of the increase in farm cash incomes has been achieved through reduced cattle herds as cattle turn-off increased in response to dry seasonal conditions and higher cattle prices. As a result, farm business profits remained below the average for the 10 years ending 2013-14. \r\n

本报告详细披露了2012-13、2013-14及2014-15财年肉牛养殖农场的财务绩效情况，并结合历史背景探讨了其收入、投资、农场债务及肉牛生产成本。报告数据主要源自澳大利亚农业与资源经济科学局（ABARES）年度澳大利亚农业与放牧业调查（AAGIS）。本报告由澳大利亚肉类与畜牧业协会（Meat & Livestock Australia, MLA）委托编制。

核心议题
• 2014-15财年，受肉牛价格上涨及36年来最高肉牛出栏量的双重推动，肉牛养殖农场的现金收入实现大幅增长。
• 澳大利亚北部地区的肉牛养殖农场现金收入预计从2013-14财年的平均每农场74700澳元，增长至2014-15财年的平均每农场148000澳元。经实际价值（剔除通胀因素）调整后，该数值较此前10年的平均水平高出约50%。
• 澳大利亚南部地区的专业化肉牛养殖农场（即以肉牛养殖为核心主业的农场），其现金收入预计从2013-14财年的平均每农场38100澳元，增长至2014-15财年的平均每农场64000澳元。经实际价值调整后，该数值较截至2013-14财年的过去10年平均水平高出约35%。
• 本次农场现金收入的增长，部分源于在季节性干旱及肉牛价格走高的背景下，肉牛出栏量提升而存栏规模缩减。受此影响，农场商业利润仍低于截至2013-14财年的过去10年平均水平。