2019 – what an unpredictable year in rural Australia
What an unpredictable year 2019 has been. Rural property markets generally continued to get stronger, whilst seasons deteriorated, especially in New South Wales and most of Queensland.
Remembering rural Australia is part of a global market today, most of our commodity prices have remained very strong, and in many cases, have achieved record highs. This has helped to underpin most farmers’ cash flows to date.
The downside has been the deterioration in the seasonal conditions, seeing many farmers having to sell down their breeding or capital stock, some now fully de-stocked, with many looking down the barrel of yet another year with little or no cash crop.
With the year fast coming to a close the short-term weather forecast continues to predict hot weather with a continuing lower than average rainfall. Given northern NSW and Queensland normally receive a reasonable amount of summer rain one can only hope that the summer storm pattern prevails yet again this year!
Meares & Associates Rural Property Market Report 2019
Happy Christmas to you all and let us hope that 2020 brings continued good health and prosperity with drought breaking rains across the countryside.
Best wishes,
The team at Meares & Associates
Chris Meares, Vickie Jeffrey, Sam Johnston & Natasha Simmons