Australian farmers' confidence has taken a hit, with concerns over lower commodity prices and the threat of returning drought conditions, according to Rabobank's latest quarterly Rural Confidence Survey, released on Wednesday. The survey revealed that these factors are the primary worries for farmers, causing a drop in overall national rural confidence.
The federal government's plans to ban live sheep exports have further impacted farmer sentiment, alongside increasing discomfort about declining agricultural commodity prices. More than half of Australia's farmers anticipate a worsening agricultural economy and a decrease in their incomes over the next year, with only 15% planning to increase their business investments.
The dip in sentiment was particularly pronounced in New South Wales and Western Australia. However, Victoria maintained slightly more positive sentiments compared to the rest of the nation. Cotton growers emerged as the only commodity group where net confidence had improved, rising from -20% in June to 5% this month.
Across Australia, the number of farmers expecting the rural economy to worsen increased from 35% to 51%, while those expecting an improvement remained low at 10%. A declining group of 37% predicted the sector to remain relatively stable.
Marcel van Doremaele, Rabobank's Australian country banking group executive, noted that government intervention and policies were substantial concerns for farmers in Western Australia, where falling commodity prices consistently topped the list of worries this quarter. The planned phase-out of live sheep exports was a sensitive issue for many farmers and weighed heavily on their minds.
The survey also highlighted different seasonal situations across states. While some regions benefited from winter rainfall, others grappled with dry conditions at both the start and end of crop seasons. Drought concerns were cited by a third of farmers as a key issue nationally, while lower commodity prices were pointed out by 60%.
Sheepmeat producers displayed the lowest levels of sentiment, with 61% expecting the farm economy to worsen. This was an increase from 40% three months ago, driven by concerns over falling commodity prices and drought. Confidence in the beef sector also declined, while dairy industry confidence fell due to worries about rising input costs and drought.
The survey, which included 1000 farmers, found an increasing number of producers looking to curb their investment plans. Only 15% expected to increase spending in their farm business in the coming year, although two-thirds planned to maintain investment at existing levels.
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