Grains toolkit

South Australia's production of grain is sustainable, entirely rain fed with no irrigation, and uses minimal inputs of fertilisers and chemicals. Around 4 million hectares of crop are grown each year with the southern regions producing:

  • wheat
  • barley
  • canola
  • oats
  • lentils
  • peas
  • beans
  • lupins
  • chick peas
  • fodder
  • lucerne seed
  • other small seeds.

In 2022–23 the South Australian grains industry generated $4.77 billion in farmgate revenue.

Image gallery

Download high and low resolution images from the toolkits image gallery. Please ensure you credit Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) when using the images.

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Infographic

This infographic provides a visual representation of key information on the grains sector including:

  • major export products
  • major export markets
  • figures and statistics on production amounts and values
  • sector credentials and attributes.

Grains infographic (PDF 1.2 MB)

Video

Transcript

[Text] The Department of Primary Industries and Regions acknowledges and respects Aboriginal people as the State's first people and nations.

We recognise Aboriginal people as traditional owners and occupants of South Australian land and waters. We pay our respects to Aboriginal cultures and to Elders, past, present and emerging.

[Music]

[Narrator] South Australia is recognised as one of the global leaders in the grain industry with some of the most diverse producers in the world. Grain production has a rich and proud history in South Australia with wheat growing starting on the state's Adelaide plains in 1839 as innovative farmers took advantage of the inherently fertile soils.

Production quickly expanded to other areas of the state including the Eyre and York peninsulas and Murray Mallee. Today grain is grown in all the southern regions of South Australia.

We're home to around 4,500 grain farms producing on average around 8 million tonnes of grain annually. Crops include wheat, barley, lentils, and canola with South Australia contributing around 20 percent of Australia's total grain production.

South Australia's clean environment, typically featuring warm and dry conditions during grain ripening and harvest, is ideal for generating wheat with golden grains and higher protein. We're renowned for high quality grains with the state producing some of the best malting barley for brewing in the world.

South Australia is now the largest lentil producer in Australia.

Our grain industry is noted for its innovation with farmer-led developments in machinery and land management, and today with grains research and sustainable production practices.

South Australia's production of grain is produced on natural rainfall and is therefore not reliant on irrigation. South Australian grain yields continue to increase, minimising the impact on the state's clean soils and water resources.

Our integrated transport and storage network across road, rail and sea gives local grain a quick path from farm gates to international markets via deep sea container and bulk loading ports. The network pathways to market are flexible and able to quickly adapt to market changes. South Australian grain is also used to locally manufacture an array of premium food products including pasta, beer, oats and flour. Our grain and premium products are exported to key international markets including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the European Union. From Belgian beer to Italian pasta, you'll find South Australian grain being used across the world

[Music]

[Logo]
Government of South Australia
Department of Primary Industries and Regions

Scorecard report

Find detailed information on the food and wine sectors, see Industry scorecards.

Page last reviewed: 01 Sep 2017

 


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