Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is issuing a challenge to all Australians to make this festive season a 100% Aussie homegrown Christmas and support our farmers.
"Australia's farmers have defied drought, bushfires and a pandemic to deliver an abundance of fresh food throughout the year," Minister Littleproud said.
"In spite of these challenges they are overseeing an expected $4.2 billion increase in Australia's 2020-21 farmgate production to $65 billion and near-record winter crop harvest.
"Our farmers are leading the way in Australia's recovery, creating jobs, boosting local communities, and supplying Australia and the world with high quality produce.
"I'm calling on all Australians to thank our farmers and world-famous agriculture sector by choosing to buy, eat and drink Aussie produce this Christmas.
"Right now, our farmers are ensuring local supermarket shelves are stocked with delicious homegrown fruit, veg, seafood, dairy, meat and wine so that Aussie families can have a truly Aussie Christmas.
"Whether it's ham, turkey, chicken, cherries or prawns, there's no reason why our Christmas brekky, lunch and dinner plates can't be brimming with 100% Aussie produce.
"Buying Australian this Christmas means we are supporting about 860 pig meat farms, 784 poultry farms, 353 cherry farms, 490 potato farms, 4000 vineyards and 5800 fishery and aquaculture businesses.
"Look out for the green and gold kangaroo label when you're shopping at the supermarket, and tuck into Australian food and drink this Christmas.
"In the Littleproud household it will be succulent Aussie pork roast, spuds and apple sauce-paired with a crisp drop of cool climate Granite Belt white wine from my electorate of Maranoa."
Fast Facts:
- Australia consumed approximately 28 kg of pork products per person in 2019-20, ranked 2nd only behind poultry meat.
- The gross value of Australian pork production was $1.5 billion in 2019-20, 25% higher than the previous year.
- Australia consumed approximately 48 kg of poultry meat per person in 2019-20, ranking 1st as the most consumed meat in Australia.
- The gross value of Australian poultry meat production was $2.9 billion in 2019-20, 2.8% higher than the previous year.
- Australia consumed about 540 g of cherries per person in 2019-20.
- The gross value of Australian cherry production was $178 million in 2019-20.
- Australians consumed more than 17 kg of fresh potatoes per person in 2018-19.
- The gross value of Australian potato production was $720 million in 2019-20.
- The value of Australian fisheries and aquaculture production is estimated to be $2.95 billion in 2019-20. Of which, $857 million was salmon, $535 million rock lobster, $350 million prawns, and $179 million tuna.
