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Farms' worst drought in 100 years
29 Jun 2004
Australia's worst drought in a century devastated crops and livestock in South Australia in 2002-2003. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that across Australia, most harvests were well below average and all categories of livestock suffered.
In South Australia, wheat production fell 56 per cent to 2.1 million tonnes, while barley yields dropped nearly half to 1.4 million tonnes. Sheep and lamb numbers remained steady at about 13 million head, as did meat cattle, at 1.2 million. But grape production was down 12 per cent to 617,000 tonnes.
Nationally, sheep and lamb numbers fell to a 57-year-low, declining 7 per cent from 2001-2002 to under 100 million head. Wheat production was down 58 per cent from 2001-2002 to 10.1 million tonnes. Barley production fell 53 per cent to 3.9 million tonnes.
The Advertiser, 29/6/04.
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