The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has released its Agricultural Commodities Report for the June quarter of 2025, providing updated estimates and forecasts for key sectors, including the forestry industry, for the financial years 2024–25 and 2025–26.
The report presents an updated estimation for the total value of agricultural commodities, which includes farm outputs (crops and livestock), fisheries, and forestry products. For FY2024–25, the total value was estimated at $99.7 billion, representing a 6% increase from the previous estimate of $94.3 billion released in December 2024. Despite this upward revision, the total value is forecast to decline slightly in FY2025–26 to $97.5 billion, a 2% decrease, largely driven by expected declines in the export values of livestock, livestock products, and crops (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Total agricultural values in billion AUD
Sources: ABARES Agricultural Commodities Report June 2025, ABARES Data December 2024, FWPA analysis
Upward Trend of Forestry Product Value
Focusing on the forestry sector, the report shows a positive trend. The total value of forestry products, which includes both softwood and hardwood, is now estimated at $2.5 billion for FY2024–25, marking an 8% increase from the previous forecast in December 2024. Looking ahead, the value is projected to rise further to $2.7 billion in FY 2025–26, reflecting a 9% year-on-year increase. If realised, this would bring the total forestry value close to the sector’s peak of $2.8 billion in FY2018–19, the highest annual value recorded over the decade between 2010 and 2020 (see Figure 2).
These revised figures highlight the continued importance and resilience of the forestry industry within the broader agricultural sector, particularly in the face of changing economic conditions and current dynamics in the global trade environment.
Figure 2: Total forestry values in billion AUD
Sources: ABARES Agricultural Commodities Report June 2025, ABARES Data December 2024, FWPA analysis
Link to the report: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/agricultural-outlook/june-2025
