19 Oct 2012
'Greener Pastures'
The third report in the ANZ insight series, ‘Greener Pastures: The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’ was released in October, 2012.
‘Greener Pastures’ examines the significant global opportunity in agriculture to 2050 and its implications for the Australian and New Zealand agricultural sectors, driven by the growing and increasingly-wealthy populations in Asia. It also explores the actions Australia and New Zealand need to take and the challenges they must overcome if they are to seize the opportunity.
‘Greener Pastures’ was researched and completed for ANZ by Port Jackson Partners.
Key findings
- Australia and New Zealand could become the food bowls for a developing Asia. Both countries have the land, the water, the skills and the geographic proximity to benefit from huge middle class populations emerging in Asia with sophisticated tastes and rising incomes.
- With targeted actions, both Australia and New Zealand could more than double the real value of annual agricultural exports by 2050. This would result in an additional A$710 billion and NZ$550 billion of revenues in 2011 for Australia and New Zealand respectively over the next four decades through to 2050.
- However, with farms facing significant constraints, particularly issues around funding succession plans and farm turnover, internal sources of capital will not be sufficient to fund the growth. Support will be required from foreign investors.
- There are other growth-limiting hurdles which need to be addressed including research and development, extension services, market access, capital requirements, human capital shortages, land and water markets and supply chain improvements.
- While the issues for agriculture are challenging, the global soft commodity opportunity presents a rare chance for Australia to reinvigorate its agriculture sector and for New Zealand to apply its dairy success to other agricultural industries.
- Getting this right will help lead Australia and New Zealand to greener pastures over the coming decades.
Related information
- Download the 'Greener Pastures’ report or request a hard copy by emailing corpcomms@anz.com
- Watch report author Angus Taylor and Deputy CEO Graham Hodges discuss the report and its relevance to ANZ (wmv, 8:08).
- Watch report author Angus Taylor and Head of Agribusiness Regional Business Banking Mark Bennett discuss the implications of the report on farm gate issues (wmv, 7:45).
Fast Facts
- A$710 billion – Australia and New Zealand have an opportunity to become a food bowl for a developing Asia and stand to capture an additional A$710 billion and NZ$550 billion respectively in agricultural exports between now and 2050.
- 60 per cent - Population growth, rising incomes, increased calorie consumption and higher protein intake means the world will demand at least 60 per cent more agricultural output by 2050.
- A$1 trillion - Australia will need A$1 trillion in additional capital investment to achieve $710 billion in agricultural exports between 2011-50.
- 2.1 million - China has 2.1 million litres of water available per person each year, while Australia and New Zealand have 22.5 and 75.6 million litres per person respectively, highlighting the available water supply for agricultural production.
The views and opinions expressed in this communication are those of the author and may not necessarily state or reflect those of ANZ.