For the first time, the health of Australia’s agribusinesses in each and all regions will be measured and reported when the inaugural Westpac/CSU Agribusiness Survey commences in January 2007.

 

The survey will be conducted quarterly by Charles Sturt University’s Western Research Institute (WRI) and provide up-to-date information on agribusiness issues in regional Australia, gathering the opinions of 1 200 participating agribusinesses across the nation.

 

The survey will examine perceptions of business performance, profit, costs, investment, inventory and employment, according to Kathy Sloan, WRI Project Manager. “It is hoped that the survey will provide a real picture of what is going on in regional Australia, as it happens.

 

“Over time the survey results will help to identify regional and State trends that can be benchmarked against the nation as a whole,” said Ms Sloan.

 

The Westpac/CSU Agribusiness Survey is also the first of its kind to examine the performance of agricultural producers as well as that of ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ businesses.

 

“In other words, we are looking at the whole chain of industry – from those who supply goods and services to agriculture right through to those who benefit from agricultural production. 

 

“The survey has enormous benefits for rural Australia in that it will provide business, the community and governments with an accurate assessment of the economic state of regional Australia. It also allows us to gauge the impact of current issues such as drought.”

 

The survey will be conducted by telephone from 8 January 2007. Businesses are encouraged to have their say about the economic state of regional Australia.

 

The results of the survey are due to be released in early February.