Biggest Exporting Industries in Australia in 2021

1. Iron Ore Mining in Australia

Exports for 2020: $70.8B

The Iron Ore Mining industry has benefited from rising prices and higher production volumes over the past five years. As a result, industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 1.7% over the five years through 2019-20, to $83.4 billion. However, this trend includes an anticipated 8.7% decline in the current year, due to reduced iron ore prices and demand from China as the COVID-19 pandemic results in lower steel manufacturing output. Despite this, strong economic growth in China over the past decade has driven developments in Australian iron ore mining to meet Chinese demand for greater steel production.... Learn More

2. Coal Mining in Australia

Exports for 2020: $57.6B

Black coal is a key input into steelmaking and energy generation. Although black coal deposits are found all over the world, Australia is one of the world's lowest cost producers and a major black coal exporter. Domestic reserves exceed domestic demand, are high grade and economical to access. As a result, exports account for a large share of industry revenue. Imports are negligible in the industry, as total local production has been higher than domestic demand for black coal. Brown coal is used domestically for electricity generation in Victoria.

Industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 7.8% over the... Learn More

3. Oil and Gas Extraction in Australia

Exports for 2020: $39.8B

The Oil and Gas Extraction industry has grown over the past five years, despite exhibiting high volatility. Changes in oil and gas prices, exchange rate movements, domestic and export demand for oil and gas, and annual production volumes all influence the industry's performance. Industry output has expanded over the past five years, while world oil and natural gas prices have declined. Australian natural gas production, which makes up most of the industry, is expected to increase at an annualised 12.4% over the five years through 2020-21. Although the world price of natural gas has fallen over the period, industry revenue... Learn More

4. Liquefied Natural Gas Production in Australia

Exports for 2020: $34.8B

The Liquefied Natural Gas Production industry has rapidly expanded over the past five years, as strong project development has increased the scale of the industry. Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports have increased from 20.0 million tonnes in 2010-11 to an expected 80.9 million tonnes in 2020-21. Industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 13.4% over the five years through 2020-21, to total $34.9 billion.

The wave of project development that occurred across the industry over the past decade has now concluded. Ten LNG facilities are operational in 2020-21, including the Prelude and Ichthys projects, which shipped their first... Learn More

5. Gold and Other Non-Ferrous Metal Processing in Australia

Exports for 2020: $28.1B

The Gold and Other Non-Ferrous Metal Processing industry mainly processes semi-refined gold. Semi-refined gold and gold dore bars are supplied from gold ore mining firms to the industry to be further processed into refined gold. Refined gold volumes are projected to total 353.3 tonnes in 2020-21, up from 326.1 tonnes in 2015-16, due to higher mining volumes and greater demand for industry services. Although the industry refines a substantial volume of gold, some firms do so for a fee. These firms do not own either the gold bullion feedstock or the refined gold produced. The refining fee earned by these... Learn More

6. Meat Processing in Australia

Exports for 2020: $15.9B

The Meat Processing industry has performed weakly over the past five years, partially due to the impacts of the outbreak of COVID-19 over the two years through 2020-21. However, demand has remained strong despite the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Production volumes of lamb and mutton and beef and veal have been volatile over the past five years. Strong export demand has boosted domestic beef and lamb prices and encouraged farmers to sell livestock over the period. Increased prices have helped support revenue for meat processors. Industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 0.3% over the five... Learn More

7. Grain Growing in Australia

Exports for 2020: $8.2B

The Grain Growing industry is export oriented and produces wheat, barley, canola, and other grains and oilseeds. Industry revenue has fluctuated significantly over the past five years, largely due to volatile weather conditions affecting local supply in certain years. Fluctuations in global grain prices and crop supplies over the period have further contributed to revenue volatility. Industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 2.6% over the five years through 2020-21, to $14.1 billion. Industry profit margins have grown due to higher output volumes. Industry revenue is anticipated to rise 44.4% in the current year, as the industry benefits... Learn More

8. Alumina Production in Australia

Exports for 2020: $8.0B

Australia is the world's largest producer of bauxite and alumina, and the world's largest exporter of alumina. Alumina is made by applying the Bayer process to bauxite. Alumina can then be further refined into aluminium. The Alumina Production industry is highly concentrated, and has only three major players: Alcoa, Rio Tinto and South32. Each firm is vertically integrated, with upstream bauxite mining and downstream aluminium smelting operations.

Revenue for the Alumina Production industry is projected to increase at an annualised 1.7% over the five years through 2020-21. This includes a decline of 9.9% in the current year, to $9.1 billion, due... Learn More

9. Pharmaceutical Product Manufacturing in Australia

Exports for 2020: $6.9B

Several favourable demand factors have affected the Pharmaceutical Product Manufacturing industry over the past five years, including an ageing population and a greater incidence of chronic disease. Increased local and global demand for consumer healthcare products has also benefited some industry operators. However, the industry has faced several challenges over the period, including a changing regulatory and risk environment, and reform-driven pricing pressures. Ongoing PBS reforms have heavily influenced the industry over the period, as mandatory price disclosures have continued to reduce prices. Rising competition from generic drugs has also constrained the industry's performance.

Industry revenue is expected to increase at... Learn More

10. Copper, Silver, Lead and Zinc Smelting and Refining in Australia

Exports for 2020: $6.0B

Revenue for the Copper, Silver, Lead and Zinc Smelting and Refining industry is projected to decline at an annualised 1.8% over the five years through 2020-21, to $2.9 billion. This fall has been due to lower industry output, and mixed prices for copper, zinc and lead in Australian dollar terms over the period. Industry revenue is expected to increase by 8.2% in the current year, as the industry recovers from large declines in 2019-20 due to COVID-19. Industry exports are estimated to total $6.0 billion in the current year, substantially above industry revenue for the year. Industry firms often processes... Learn More