Agriculture
The South West Region's fertile soils, high rainfall and proximity to Perth provide the basis for a wide range of agricultural industries.
The region has 2,023 agricultural enterprises, which cover an area of 864,448 hectares. Agricultural production in the region includes beef and dairy cattle, vegetables, fruit, viticulture and wool production. In recent years, agricultural industries have diversified to include floriculture, deer, emu, ostrich and goat production. Total agricultural production in the region was estimated at $550.2 million in 2006/07.
The main crops of the region are:
Vegetables
The value of vegetable production in 2006/07 was $77.3 million and represented 14.1 per cent of the region's total agricultural production for this period.
In 2006/07 the main vegetables grown in the South West for consumption and their associated values were potatoes ($30.5 million), carrots ($13.5 million), broccoli ($5.8 million) and onions ($4.1 million).
Other vegetables adding to the total value of production included cauliflowers, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, lettuce, capsicum/chillies, zucchinis and cabbages.
Most vegetables are sold on the Perth market, but an increasing share is exported to South East Asia.
Fruit
The South West Region grows a range of different fruit. Orchard fruits dominate production, but smaller quantities of kiwifruit, strawberries, and other berries are also produced.
The value of fruit production (including grapes) was $122.9 million in 2006/07.
Large quantities of grapes are grown for winemaking, with the South West being the largest grape producing region in the state.
The main orchard fruits and their associated values for 2006/07 were apples ($23.0 million), plums and prunes ($11.9 million), pears - including avocados ($8.0 million), nashi pears ($5.9 million) and nectarines ($2.8 million).
Other fruits grown in 2006/07 included peaches, cherries, apricots and kiwifruit and berries.
Viticulture
The wine industry in the South West Region has continued to experience strong growth and is recognised as a world-class producer of premium wines.
The region is the largest wine producing area in Western Australia and hosts the majority of the State's wineries and wine labels (winemaking contracted out). Wine regions in the South West include; Margaret River, Pemberton, Blackwood Valley, Geographe and Manjimup.
In 2007 these wine regions crushed 48,543 tonnes of grapes at a value of $67.1 million.
A strong viticulture sector has emerged to supply the growing demand for quality table and wine grapes.
The main locations for grape production are the areas around Margaret River, Pemberton and Geographe, although there have been significant plantings in the Manjimup and Blackwood Valley areas in recent years.
Other crops
Pastures and grasses (including hay production) were valued at $56.1 million in 2006/07. The production of cereal grain, predominantly barley ($7.4 million), oats ($4.4 million) and wheat ($2.1 million) contributed a total of $13.9 million to the region's economy in 2006/07.
Non-cereal crops for 2006/07 included nursery production valued at $11.1 million, cultivated turf at $6.7 million and cut flowers valued at $2.3 million.
Floriculture is now an established export industry in the South West.
There are significant plantings of protea in the shires of Harvey, Busselton, and Augusta-Margaret River, wildflower production in the Warren-Blackwood area, and tulip production in and around Nannup and Balingup.
The livestock and livestock products are:
Beef cattle
The South West is well regarded as a producer of prime beef. It is the State's major provider of beef cattle as well as the major processor. There is a large abattoir situated close to Harvey.
In 2006/07 the value of cattle and calves slaughtered was $105.4 million. Live cattle is exported to the European Union, South East Asia, and the Middle East.
Sheep and lambs
The value of sheep and lamb disposals was $15.1 million in 2006/07.
Milk
Milk production in the South West in 2006/07 was valued at $93.5 million.
A significant portion of the State's milk is processed as fluid milk with the remainder used for products such as butter, cheese, flavoured milk, milk powders, UHT milk and yoghurt.
A small manufacturing industry processes surplus milk into butter, cheese, dried milk powder, cream, yoghurts, desserts and other products for domestic and export markets. New manufacturing opportunities are emerging as a result of the deregulation of the dairy industry.
Wool
In 2006/07 the value of wool produced in the South West was $32.8 million.