Special Correspondent, ARR.News

A new index tracks population growth in Australia’s regions. The Regional Movers Index from the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) shows that the number of people shifting from state capitals to the regions is at its highest since 2018.

Agribusiness Elders, reporting a strong lift in sales and profit for the half year to March, is upbeat on the rest of the year with improved winter cropping conditions and good cattle prices. Sales at Elders were up 22% to $1.1 billion and statutory profit was 31% higher at $68.2 million.

GrainCorp, releasing its half year results, sees high global demand for Australian grain and oilseeds. In the six months to the end of March, underlying EBITDA from continuing operations was $140 million, up from $105 million.

Regional housing markets, which increased in value more than capital cities during 2020, will have different recovery needs in the wake of the pandemic, according to research by AHURI (Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute). The report, Pathways to regional housing recovery from COVID-19, conducted by researchers from the University of Tasmania, examines the consequences of COVID-19 for households in regional Australia.

Australia’s wheat crop is estimated to have surged by 119.8% to a record 33.34 million tonnes in 2020/21, according to ABARES (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences). ABARES has raised its estimate of national production of winter crops by 7.4% to 55.2 million tonnes in 2020/21.

Analysts say the latest cattle industry projections suggest record cattle prices could last through the rest of calendar 2021. Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2021 Cattle Industry Projections forecasts cattle slaughter to fall to its lowest level in 25 years as producers retain stock. The rebuild comes after cattle numbers fell to 24.6 million head in 2020 – their lowest level since the early 1990s – as a result of prolonged and severe drought.

Regional Australia is in turn-around mode, according to analysis by investment bank Morgan Stanley. Housing prices are rising faster in the regions than the major cities and the pressure has transferred to the rental market. Morgan Stanley sees a number of reasons for investors to be exposed to regional Australia. “Specifically, we highlight the end to a multi-year drought, uplift in regional tourism and potential structural de-urbanisation as a result of COVID-19,” the analysts write in a note to clients.

Plentiful supply of fertiliser supply along a stable currency outlook spells further good news for growers in the year ahead, according to analysts at...