Page 9 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Boehringer celebrates Lunar New Year
CELEBRATED across many Asian countries, Lunar New Year took place in early February and marks the first full moon of the lunar cal- endar.
Traditionally celebrat- ed with family, the fes- tive event is marked with feasts, firecrackers, lan- terns and the colour red.
2019 heralds the Year of the Pig, one of the
12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac, and an animal that symbolises luck, optimism, wealth and good fortune.
On February 5, 2019, the swine team at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health celebrated the Lunar New Year by giving pork crackling, cupcakes and a fun flyer to each of its 200 employees in the Sydney head office.
The fact sheet was aimed at supporting the Australian pork industry by promoting the ‘Win Big in the Year of the Pig’ competition held by Aus- tralian Pork Limited as well as providing a great pork skewer recipe and fun pig and pork ‘crack- ling’ facts.
The desk drop was well received by all recipients, and increased awareness
and created conversation around APL’s $60,000 worth of prizes up for grabs for those buying fresh pork in Australia.
Boehringer Ingelheim would like to take this opportunity to wish eve- ryone a happy Year of the Pig and all the best in 2019.
www.boehringer-in gelheim.com.au/animal- health
Farm production
expected to fall
due to drought
IN 2018-19 the value of farm production is expected to decline by 4 percent to $58 billion, according to the latest Agricultural Commodities report launched recently at the Outlook 2019 con- ference in Canberra.
ABARES’ chief commodity analyst Peter Gooday said the main driver of the drop was poor eastern winter crops, but high prices and the near-re- cord crops in Western Australia provided a significant buffer.
“Many would have predicted a greater fall in agricultural produc- tion given the signifi- cance of the drought along the east coast,” Mr Gooday said.
“Western Australia is forecast to have produced its second- largest grain crop – nearly 60 percent of the Australian winter crop this year – which has helped make this the sixth-straight year of above-average per- formance.
“It is clear the ongo- ing drought in the east- ern states and Queens- land floods have devas- tated those affected.
“Improved commod- ity prices have helped, with grain prices ex- pected to increase 11 percent in 2018-19 and contribute to a 3 per- cent rise in farmgate prices.
“Wheat prices rose by 5 percent and barley prices by 16 percent.
“Agricultural produc- tion is forecast to re- cover in 2019-20 and then grow slowly over the medium term, as- suming a return to av- erage seasonal condi-
tions in coming years.” In 2019-20 the value of farm production is forecast to increase by 2 percent to $59 billion and grow to $61 billion
by 2023-24.
“Farm profitability is
expected to be lower in 2018-19 compared with the previous two years, but remain com- paratively high,” Mr Gooday said.
“The average farm cash income for all broadacre farms is projected to fall by 18 percent to $173,000 per farm in 2018-19 – still well above the 10-year average of $140,000.
“There is substan- tial regional variation though, with average incomes down by an average of 51 percent on NSW broadacre farms and 21 percent on Queensland farms.
“In Western Aus- tralia, farm incomes are projected to in- crease by 33 percent to $490,000 per farm in 2018-19.
“Production falls are expected to impact ex- port earnings, which are forecast to decline to $45 billion in 2019- 20 due to falling live- stock exports, after an expected 6 percent de- cline in 2018-19 due to falling crop exports.
“This will be partial- ly offset by an expect- ed 4 percent increase to export prices.
“Export earnings are then projected to in- crease to $47 billion by 2023-24.”
The report is avail- able at agriculture.gov. au/ag-commodities- report
Approved in pregnant and lactating sows, providing reliable protection for your whole herd
Consistent protection, every time
Proven efficacy against PCV2 without compromising safety
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd. Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde NSW 2113. ABN 53 071 187 285. CircoFLEX® is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH – used under licence. All rights reserved. AUS/CIRCOFL-181001
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Australian Pork Newspaper, March 2019 – Page 9