Bowen is a significant contributor to the Region's agricultural commodities. The Shire produced around $160m worth of Agricultural product in 1988/99 or almost 25% of the Region's total production. Bowen is famous in particular for its production of tomatoes as the largest tomato-producing region in Queensland. In 1998/99 this represented a value of $59.5m followed by capsicum at $30.5m.

Bowen's livestock production was worth $30.5m or 19.3% of the Region's total. Estimates for the 2000 season suggested these figures increased significantly to $230 million of produce (farm gate value 2000).

The Bowen Horticulture Industry produces $230 million worth of fruit and vegetables per year (farm gate value), which is predominately sold through the central market system, supermarket chains and to export agents.


Sugar

Several trial crops have been produced in recent years, which indicate that the Bowen Shire would be an ideal location for sugar production if sufficient quantities of water were available for irrigation.

Options are currently being examined to provide water for sugar production in the Bowen Shire. These are the Urannah Dam project, which would provide water for up to 20,000 hectares of irrigation development near Collinsville; and the Elliot Main Channel project, which is an irrigation channel to bring water from the Burdekin River down the Coastal Plain to Bowen, creating up to 26,000 hectares of new irrigation areas in the Bowen Shire between Bowen and Ayr.

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Bowen is a significant contributor to the Region's agricultural commodities. The Shire produced around $160m worth of Agricultural product in 1988/99 or almost 25% of the Region's total production. Bowen is famous in particular for its production of tomatoes as the largest tomato-producing region in Queensland. In 1998/99 this represented a value of $59.5m followed by capsicum at $30.5m.

Bowen's livestock production was worth $30.5m or 19.3% of the Region's total. Estimates for the 2000 season suggested these figures increased significantly to $230 million of produce (farm gate value 2000).

The Bowen Horticulture Industry produces $230 million worth of fruit and vegetables per year (farm gate value), which is predominately sold through the central market system, supermarket chains and to export agents.


Sugar

Several trial crops have been produced in recent years, which indicate that the Bowen Shire would be an ideal location for sugar production if sufficient quantities of water were available for irrigation.

Options are currently being examined to provide water for sugar production in the Bowen Shire. These are the Urannah Dam project, which would provide water for up to 20,000 hectares of irrigation development near Collinsville; and the Elliot Main Channel project, which is an irrigation channel to bring water from the Burdekin River down the Coastal Plain to Bowen, creating up to 26,000 hectares of new irrigation areas in the Bowen Shire between Bowen and Ayr.

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