Food exports at decade-high levels

Australia's food exports were worth more than $30.5 billion in 2011-12, the highest that figure's been since 2001-02.

The annual Australian Food Statistics report recorded a 12 per cent increase in food export values in 2011-12, which were $3.3 billion higher than the previous year.

Overall, the total value of Australian food exports has risen by 30.3 per cent since the depths of the drought in 2006-07.

Australia's total farm and fisheries food production increased by 3.4 per cent to $42.6 billion in 2011-12, an overall increase of 31 per cent since 2006-07.

"Australian farmers grow over 90 per cent of the fresh food we eat, but they also produce enough food to feed 40 million people living beyond our borders," Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said.

"Last financial year we had a substantial food trade surplus - that is, exports compared to imports - of $19.2 billion. That an increase of 14.6 per cent from 2010-11."

The Australian Food Statistics 2011-12 report is available on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) website.

Source: ABC News, 5 April 2013