As the state’s primary produces are celebrated at this week’s Royal Adelaide Show, latest figures showing agricultural export value reached a new record high of $7.5 billion in the past financial year, are adding to the positive vibe.

Grain Producers SA chief executive officer Brad Perry welcomed figures from the Australian Agricultural Trade 2021/22 report showing cropping exports rose $1.4 billion or 59.3 per cent to $3.8 billion in 2021/22 with the help of large export volumes and rising prices.

“Most of the grain crops are well above average right across the board, in particular we’re seeing high value for canola, it’s probably up there as the highest,” Perry said.

Farmers experienced a good harvest and world events including the war in Ukraine and drought in the United States and Canada were all contributing to higher demand, he said.

However, the same geopolitical challenges meant farmers’ profits were being affected by higher input prices for fertiliser, chemicals and fuel.

The harvest outlook was looking positive for the upcoming season though, with Perry adding that early estimates were for between 8.6 to 8.7 million tonnes of grain but with “a good finish to the season” this could nudge nine million tonnes, which is at the higher level of production.

Almond growers also continued to see their export figures rise, last financial year they experienced a 23 per cent or $35 million increase that saw exports reach a record high of $186 million.

The news was good nationally. Cropping pushed ag exports throughout Australia to a record high of $67.5 billion, according Rural Bank’s general manager sales, partnerships and marketing, Simon Dundon.

Dundon said a rare combination of increased production and higher commodity prices linked to a lower Australian dollar helped with the increase.

“Cropping led the export charge with both volumes and average prices rising to drive an 82 per cent increase in overall value of Australia’s cropping exports with record winter crop production and restricted global supply,” Dundon said.

There was increasing demand for biofuels and cooking oil further supporting Australian canola exports, with every commodity sector except for wine and fruit recording an increase in export value.

Grains, oilseeds and cottons recorded the largest growth alongside increased plantings and high yields.

South Australia has experienced growth in its ag exports in eight out of the past 10 years, but it was not all rosy news in this year’s report.

The state’s second most important export, wine, continued on its downward trajectory, with figures falling for a third year in a row, down by $264 million, as Chinese tariffs continued to weigh heavily on red wine.

Seafood was the other major commodity to experience a fall in value by 0.3 per cent.

On the up side, sheep meat exports rose by $84 million, and wool staged a comeback.

Wool exports rose by 40 per cent or $42 million as it pared back its dramatic drop of 56 per cent or $134 million in the previous two years.

The report also said the US toppled China as the most valuable export market for Australian wine in 2021/22, as China fell to 16th most valuable wine export market for the nation compared to being top the year before.