The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today released seven (7) facts about Australia's horticulture and livestock industries.

Queensland leads the way in terms of fruit production, with bananas, avocados and macadamia nuts growing in the sunshine state.

Table grapes were the most valuable fruit, followed by bananas and apples.

Here are the 7 Facts:

1. North Queensland produced 94% of Australia’s bananas

Australia produced 369,000 tonnes of bananas in 2023-24. Areas around Queensland’s Innisfail and Tully were responsible for 259,000 tonnes of that crop, making up 70 per cent of all banana production in Australia.

2. Table grapes are still the most valuable fruit crop

Grape growers were hit with the largest drop in value, down $167 million in 2023-24. Despite this drop, grapes were still the most valuable fruit ($752 million), followed by bananas ($698 million) and apples ($680 million). 

3. Going bananas for bananas

Bananas were Australia’s second most valuable fruit crop, valued at $698 million, a rise of $115 million from the year before. The shortage caused by tropical cyclone Jasper and the resulting flooding saw higher banana prices.

4. Griffith region leader in wine grapes

Griffith Surrounds in NSW “crushed” the wine producing competition in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and Western Australia’s Margaret River, by producing 235,000 tonnes (16 per cent) of wine grapes – the most of any Australian region. Renmark Surrounds and Waikerie in South Australia’s Riverland wine region were the second and third highest producing areas with 114,000 (8.0 per cent) and 108,000 (7.6 per cent) tonnes respectively. (See map here)

5. Bundaberg smashes the avo and macca market

Regional data revealed the Bundaberg Surrounds (South) region ranked second for avocado production and topped macadamia farming in 2023-24. This region alone grew a whopping 20,000 tonnes of avocados (13 per cent) and 12,000 tonnes (21 per cent) of macadamias.

6. Moo-ving up - Australian cattle herd is the largest since 2018

Australia’s cattle herd was up 1.6 per cent, reaching a total of 30.4 million cows in 2023-24. The dairy herd also rebounded in 2023-24, up by 3.7 per cent to reach 2.2 million cows.

7. Feeling like chicken tonight?

Chicken is now the second most valuable meat in Australia, overtaking lamb for a spot behind beef. Chicken has kept a steady upwards trend with buyers due to its affordability.