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Rural recovery threatened by prices and weather
5 Jan 2006
The outlook is weak for wool, cotton and grain growers who are struggling with high costs and low commodity prices and need further rain to finally break out of drought. Beef, dairy and sugar producers have brighter outlooks for the year ahead, buoyed by strong demand and improving output. ABARE reported that gross farm production will rise 1.7 per cent in 2005-06 but net returns to farmers is expected to slide 8.2 per cent because of rising costs and a two per cent fall in farm commodity prices.
AFR, 05/01/06
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