With record cattle and sheep prices, it would be no surprise that Australia's agriculture sector is booming, with farmers expected to reap a record $66 billion for their produce this year, despite trade tensions with China and the global pandemic.
Handy seasons across a large part of Australia are also driving up grain yields following a very, very ordinary prior season.
Also tipped is a $5 billion jump on Australian farming's second most valuable year recorded in 2016-17.
An average grain/livestock producing property is estimated to record an increase of $184,00 in income and dairy farmers an extra $190,000.
There are record machinery sales and property/land prices have gone through the roof.
Drought had shattered the economies of many rural towns and these record incomes are sure to give a massive boost to many businesses.
WATER OWNERSHIP
The recent publishing of foreign water ownership in Australia proves just what exactly?
Why not ask the banks or government have they borrowed funds overseas or ask an owner of a brand spanking new tractor if it is manufacturer financed in the country of manufacture?
The truth is that nearly all of the water foreign-owned is being used on their highly productive Australian properties.
They cannot load it on ships in the middle of the night and flee.
And, as for buying water and manipulating the market, good luck.
Currently, to buy permanent high security water in the Goulburn system around $3500 plus is the going rate.
If the water is temporarily traded, it is fetching at best $90 a megalitre if you can find a buyer.
This gives a return at the lowest bank rates.
It is predicted this could crash and burn as the season progresses into winter.
And, let us put to rest the ridiculous notion that large amounts of water are owned by Penny Wong and Eddie McGuire.
Simply rubbish.
Currently, Victorian irrigators are sitting on 100 per cent of high security entitlement.
Along and across the Murray, NSW irrigators are sitting on 50 per cent entitlements.
This has been boosted by being able to utilise several bites at supplementary water for $3 megalitre.
This would make Victorian irrigators salivate.
The news that the federal government will not claw back 450 gigalitres of environmental water from irrigators is a big tick for federal minister Pitt.
Instead, the feds will fund further modernisation projects to the irrigation system, with the savings heading to the environment.
PRODUCTION POTENTIAL
There has always been an interest in the role native pastures can play in productive pastures.
Kangaroo grass, in particular, is now being trialled to ascertain its potential productive role in producing seed/grain for flour manufacture.
It is not difficult to draw the conclusion that the economics of this flour production would have to attract a hefty market premium.
There is always a niche market for those seeking alternative foods.
Many early settlers followed the lead of the Aborigines who regularly harvested seeds to make a form of damper.
