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The facts on rice farming and water
25 Aug 2003
A 2000 report by the Bureau of Statistics said they found that vegetables and fruit returned the highest gross value per megalitre of water at $1,760 and $1,460, while rice was lowest at $189. The ABS described rice as the thirstiest crop in terms of water used per hectare of irrigated area.
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission says that while fruit and vegetables need 200,000 and 460,000 litres of water respectively to make $100 profit, rice needs 1,850,000 litres. Of 15,502 gigalitres used by agriculture in 1996-1997, irrigated pasture for stock took most water (8,795 gigalitres), with rice in third place (1,643).
But Ricegrowers' Association of Australia counters that the 1.3 million tonnes grown in an average year in Australia could feed 40 million people every day. It is Australia's third largest cereal crop and is exported to 72 countries. The industry earns $800 million a year and comprises about 2,500 farms.
The RGA, using US research, says a rice serving only needs 59 litres of water compared with 136 for pasta and 4,663 for beef. Some rice products return more than $26,000 per megalitre based on the retail price, the RGA says.
The RGA also says its growers are the most efficient producers, using 50 per cent less water and growing 60 per cent more rice per hectare than the world average.
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission agrees that Australian growers are world leaders in water efficiency. They have cut use per hectare by about 30 per cent over the past 10 years and rice yields per megalitre have increased by more than 60 per cent.
Sydney Morning Herald, 25/8/03.
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