REPORT ON SHORTCOMINGS OF AUSTRALIAN FARM FINANCIAL STATISTICS AND DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENTS

In February 1962 the Council of the Australian Agricultural Economics Society appointed a sub-committee to report on the present state of farm financial statistics in Australia and to recommend desirable improvements. The aims in calling for this report were twofold: (a) Members of the Society have long felt the need for more comprehensive economic information about Australian agriculture. The adverse movement of prices of farm products in Australia during the last decade has increased the urgency to obtain such data. (b) In view of the possible reorganisation of various statistical series, it was felt that the Society - whose members are major users of farm financial statistics - should outline its views on desirable improvements in this field. The Society's concern in this matter is not the result of any decline in the quantity of data published by the various statistical agencies, but is due rather to the rapid growth in the demand for more comprehensive coverage and increased accuracy.