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Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Jayson Cooke Jayson Cooke Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: June 2024 ANZSIC A0145

Revenue

$15.6bn

2024-25

$15.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

54,260

Businesses

25,127

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia industry analysis

Grain-sheep and grain-beef cattle farmers' performance has been volatile over the past five years, as fluctuations in annual rainfall have significantly influenced output. Diplomatic tensions with China over the past three years have also led to various trade barriers being imposed on a variety of agricultural products, including barley and beef. Industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 0.5% over the five years through 2024-25, reaching $15.6 billion. This moderate increase follows a significant revenue dip in 2023-24 resulting from collapsing prices for sheep, lambs and beef cattle, alongside falling grain prices with the exception of oats. A recovery of 9.7% anticipated in 2024-25 underpins the slight revenue growth over the five-year period.

Trends and Insights

  • Industry farmers have benefited from bumper crops and sustained high global grain prices in recent years. Livestock prices also rose substantially, as local supply tightened, but as livestock and grain prices dropped in 2023-24.
  • Farmers have benefited from rising output and prices for wheat. Increased rainfall has substantially boosted crop yields, while a global supply shortage stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war bolstered prices.
  • New South Wales accounts for around one-third of grain-sheep or grain-beef cattle farms in Australia. Many of these are wheat-sheep farms, as sheep eat herbicide-resistant weeds that grow in wheat crop areas.
  • Grain-beef cattle and grain-sheep farmers largely compete with each other on quality. Farmers in one part of Australia can experience drought, which lowers wool quality compared to farmers in another part of Australia that experience more favourable weather conditions.
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Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Industry Overview

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $15.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

A recovery in rainfall levels has boosted output volumes

  • Rainfall plummeted by 25.4% in 2017-18, which made it difficult for farmers to increase grain production and maintain their flocks and herds, weighing on industry revenue.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Farm performance will continue to be tied to weather patterns

  • Historically, fluctuations between extreme weather conditions have adversely affected the industry's performance, influencing both production and quality in both livestock and grain segments.

Biggest companies in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($short_0)
2025

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Wheat, Canola and Other grains. Wheat is the largest segment of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Sales prices and volumes for lambs and sheep have been significantly volatile

  • This segment comprises lamb and sheep that industry farmers raise and sell to processors for slaughter, or as live exports.
  • More insights available in the full report

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Competitors

  • Grain Growing in Australia
  • Sheep Farming in Australia
  • Beef Cattle Farming in Australia
  • Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

International industries

  • Beef Cattle Production in the US
  • Sheep Farming in the US
  • Beef Cattle Production in Canada
  • Sheep Farming in New Zealand
  • Beef Cattle Farming in New Zealand

View all industries in Australia

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in the industry primarily grow grain in conjunction with beef cattle or sheep farming activities. The industry excludes companies that exclusively farm beef cattle or sheep, or grow grain.

What's included in this industry?

Lambs and sheepWoolBeef cattleWheatBarleyCanolaSorghumLegumesOatsSafflower

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM)STOCKFEEDHERBICIDEIMPUTED WAGETURN-OFF

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0145 - Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Industry farmers have benefited from bumper crops and sustained high global grain prices in recent years. Livestock prices also rose substantially, as local supply tightened,...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Farmers have benefited from rising output and prices for wheat. Increased rainfall has substantially boosted crop yields, while a global supply shortage stemming from the Rus...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

New South Wales accounts for around one-third of grain-sheep or grain-beef cattle farms in Australia. Many of these are wheat-sheep farms, as sheep eat herbicide-resistant we...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Grain-beef cattle and grain-sheep farmers largely compete with each other on quality. Farmers in one part of Australia can experience drought, which lowers wool quality compa...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There are no major players in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry. Around 90.0% of these farmers earn less than $2.0 million in annual revenue.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    Grain-sheep and grain-beef cattle farmers must pay a levy for their livestock. The levy for sheep is set at 2.0% of the sale price, while for beef cattle it’s a flat rate of ...

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Livestock prices dropped in 2023-24, driven by domestic and global oversupply. The oversupply, resulting from dry conditions and higher feed costs, is expected to reduce prof...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

    IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in Australia include:

    • Australian Bureau of Statistics
    • Australian Taxation Office
    • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

    Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia in 2024?

    The market size of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is $15.6bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia industry in 2024?

    There are 25,127 businesses in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is expected to grow.

    What does the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia include?

    Lambs and sheep and Wool are part of the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry.

    How competitive is the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia?

    The level of competition is low and decreasing in the Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.