Tasmania’s agricultural industries are a vital part of the State’s economy. The TASMANIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY GROUP LIMITED was formed in 1989. The organisation is entirely funded from member contributions.

The Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group (TAPG) is the only organization in Tasmania which brings together primary producers, the agricultural manufacturing sector, agribusiness (services to agriculture) and Government. TAPG is in a unique position to address issues that are of common concern to primary, secondary and service levels of Tasmanian agriculture.

Agriculture is an important contributor to the Tasmanian economy. The direct farm gate contribution of agriculture is around 5% of Gross State Product and 6% of total state employment. When agriculture’s post farm gate activity is added, the contribution to the economy increases to 16% of Gross State Product and 20% of state employment.

The industry, however, is much more than the sum of its economic contributions. It is the lifeblood of rural and regional communities and plays a large role in maintaining the quality of life that Tasmanians experience. The landscapes created by agriculture with
their patchwork of colours, textures and even smells, are a much admired feature of the Tasmanian countryside appealing to visitors and Tasmanians alike.

Agriculture is an environmentally sustainable and valuable industry in Tasmania that has played an important role in the State’s development in the past and will continue to do so in the future.