The
Rich soils support an abundance of fresh produce, earning the region its title of Australia's Food Bowl. The Riverina produces 90 per cent of NSW's citrus and 60 per cent of its wine grapes, plus almonds, rice, olives, fruit and vegetables.
The Murray–Darling Basin is in Australia's south-east. It is a system of interconnected rivers and lakes. More than 2.3 million people live in the Basin, including people from over 40 different First Nations.
The Murray–Darling Basin accounts for about three-quarters of Australia's citrus, pome fruit (that is, fruit with a core of several small seeds such as apples and pears) and stone fruit production. A large percentage of these crops are grown in the southern Basin.
The overwhelming majority of food sold in Australia is grown and supplied by Australian farmers.
Sugar cane is the most produced food commodity in Australia followed by wheat & barley. Sugar cane is the most produced food commodity in Australia followed by wheat & barley. Australia produces more than 32 million tonnes of sugar cane and 17 tonnes of wheat .
Australia exports around 72% of the total value of agricultural, fisheries and forestry production. Export orientation of each industry can vary by commodity type. Wheat and beef, which are large sectors, are more export-focused than dairy, horticulture and pork (Figure 7).
The Murray-Darling Basin (MBD) is a river system that covers 14% of the land in Australia. 70% of Australia's agricultural water use comes from the MDB and it provides one third of Australia's food supply. Which is how the basin earned its nickname Australia's Food Bowl.
The Murray-Darling Basin is the most productive agricultural areas in the country, producing a third of Australia's food. The basin covers over a million square kilometers, about one-seventh of the whole continent, and includes some 20 rivers, most notably the nominate rivers, the Murray and Darling.
The River Murray is Australia's longest river. It's 2508 kilometres long, spanning New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Almost 2000 km is navigable, making it the third longest navigable river on the planet, with only the Amazon and Nile rivers ahead of it.
Melbourne is Australia's culinary capital and has the numbers to prove it. Get the facts behind Victoria's love of all things food. Melbourne has more than 3,500 restaurants and serves up cuisines from more than 70 countries.
Communities rely on safe, good-quality water from Basin rivers. The Basin supports 7,300 irrigated agriculture businesses. Farmers need water to produce the crops that feed Australians and help our economy.
The Murray-Darling Basin is one interconnected system of rivers, the largest in Australia. It spans an area stretching 1 million square kilometres, which is the size of France and Spain put together.
Melbourne's foodbowl produces a wide variety of fresh foods, particularly fresh fruit and vegetables, but also eggs and chicken meat, and some beef, lamb, pork and dairy. Melbourne's foodbowl produces around 47% of the vegetables grown in Victoria and around 8% of fruit3.
Sitting just below the Great Dividing Range, the Lockyer Valley is affectionately known as Australia's salad bowl, as the region is one of the 10 most fertile farming areas in the world.
The Great Artesian Basin is one of the largest underground freshwater resources in the world. It is Australia's largest groundwater basin. It lies beneath parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales.
The Lockyer Valley is rated among the top ten most fertile farming areas in the world, and the intensively cultivated area grows the most diverse range of commercial fruit and vegetables of any area in Australia.
The amount of water used from the rivers of the Basin has increased substantially over time. It is also used in more ways than it used to be. Along with droughts this increased usage has led to some rivers and wetlands being degraded.
Roast lamb has been declared Australia's national dish in a major poll that shows we're still a country of meat eaters at heart.
A pie floater is an Australian dish that is most commonly consumed in Adelaide and Sydney. It consists of a traditional Australian meat pie that is usually submerged upside-down in green pea soup.
Australia is one of the most food secure nations in the world, with access to a wide variety of healthy and nutritious foods. Australia is one of the most food secure countries in the world, for several reasons. Australia produces much more food than it consumes, exporting around 70% of agricultural production.
There are also insights confirming what many of us already know: New Zealand is our main source of imported fresh seafood, dairy products and livestock.
Most of Australia's imports in these sectors are sourced from New Zealand – the U.S. is the second largest supplier. Consumer aspirations, both personal and social, along with product developments by suppliers and retailers, continue to be important influences on shopping choices.