Industries with the Biggest Decline in Exports in Australia in 2025

1. Lubricants and Other Petroleum Product Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -61.0%

Lubricants and other petroleum product manufacturers further refine heavy and light oil components into various petroleum-based products using oil and grease base stocks with key products such as lubricating oils and greases, bitumen and aromatic hydrocarbons. Some players also distil coal to produce coke and coal tar. Industry products are used to construct roads; run vehicles, machinery and equipment; and in general manufacturing. Therefore, various external factors influence the industry's performance, including developments in the upstream petroleum refining and coal mining sectors and in key downstream user industries such as mining, construction and various manufacturing industries. The industry has been... Learn More

2. Lithium and Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -41.4%

Spodumene concentrate (lithium ore) has become by far the dominant product in the Lithium and Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining industry over the five years through 2023-24. Spodumene concentrate is still mainly exported to China for further processing, but major mining firms have started to use it domestically to refine lithium hydroxide. Spodumene concentrate output has increased over the past five years, particularly over the three years through 2023-24. While production is growing strongly, surging demand is behind the largely price-driven growth, as strong demand from the Chinese electric vehicle market and lithium stockpiling is prompting a spike in world prices.... Learn More

3. Battery Material Mining in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -36.4%

Battery material mining revenue has soared, as battery manufacturers have sought to lock in supply to meet surging demand. Rising demand for electric vehicles has led global automakers to offer a growing range of electric vehicles, particularly in China. The supply of battery materials has become increasingly tight, driving demand for Australian battery material exports. Overall, industry revenue has grown at an annualised 55.9% over the past five years, to $16.9 billion. This includes a rise of 198.6% in 2022-23, as lithium export prices skyrocket.

Several new enterprises have entered the industry by developing lithium mines in Western Australia. These firms... Learn More

4. Non-Ferrous Metal Casting in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -28.6%

Revenue for the Non-Ferrous Metal Casting industry has increased over the past five years, driven by reduced import competition and rising input costs, which have been passed on to downstream markets. The industry has benefited from global supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have caused major shipping delays. Manufacturers have increasingly favoured local suppliers to boost their supply chains' reliability. Industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 4.6% over the five years through 2023-24, to $194.3 million. Rising world metal prices have increased input costs for the industry, reducing profit margins to an estimated 6.0% in... Learn More

5. Ready-Mixed Concrete Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -25.0%

Trends in building and infrastructure construction determine the Ready-Mixed Concrete Manufacturing industry's performance. The product's perishability restricts supply capabilities to a narrow geographic market. Several large-scale, vertically integrated manufacturers together account for over two-thirds of industry sales and have branch representation in most markets. These include Boral Limited, Hanson Australia, Holcim Australia, Adbri Limited and the Barro Group.

Divergent trends in downstream building and infrastructure markets have influenced the industry in recent years. Industry revenue has declined at an anticipated annualised 1.1% over the past five years. Revenue is expected to total $6.7 billion in 2022-23, including an estimated contraction of... Learn More

6. Grain Growing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -22.0%

Grain growing in Australia is export-oriented and produces wheat, barley, canola, other grains and oilseeds. Revenue has fluctuated over the past five years, due to volatile weather conditions, global grain prices and crop supplies. Revenue is expected to grow at an annual average rate of 17.3% over the five years through 2022-23, to reach an estimated $27.7 billion. As Russia is a major producer of fertiliser, a key industry input, its price has significantly risen in 2021-22 due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Industry profitability has therefore fallen over the period as purchase costs have increased. However, higher output volumes due... Learn More

7. Concrete Product Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -19.4%

The Concrete Product Manufacturing industry supplies structural and cladding products for most construction markets, including cement-based building boards, roofing tiles, blocks, pavers, pipes, box culverts, tensioning posts and precast panels. The industry comprises several large-scale, vertically integrated manufacturers and the four largest players account for over two-thirds of industry revenue.

The industry has faced divergent trends in the core construction markets over the past five years. Industry revenue is expected to contract at an annualised 1.5% to $3.2 billion in 2023-24, including an anticipated decline of 4.3% in the current year. The residential building market has constrained the industry's performance, with... Learn More

8. Mango Growing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -18.0%

Operators in the Mango Growing industry have faced mixed conditions over recent years. Despite tough international trading conditions, domestic demand has remained largely reliable for growers. Rising health consciousness has strengthened demand in the domestic market, both in downstream sales directly to consumers, and to food and beverage manufacturers. Favourable growing conditions in 2019-20 significantly boosted mango output. Even so, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected the price of key inputs and labour availability. Unfavourable agricultural conditions in 2022-23 have also limited revenue. Overall, industry revenue is expected to climb at an annualised 3.3% over the... Learn More

9. Iron Ore Mining in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -17.4%

Iron ore miners have benefited from major increases in iron ore prices, and modest growth in production volumes over the past five years. Iron ore revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 8.1% over the five years through 2022-23, to total an estimated $124.1 billion. Strong demand from China and disruptions to iron ore producers in Brazil prior to, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, sent iron ore prices soaring. Iron ore prices are projected to fall in 2022-23, prompting iron ore revenue to drop an estimated 16.2% over the year.

Over the past decade, strong economic growth in China has... Learn More

10. Prefabricated Wooden Building Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -16.7%

The Prefabricated Wooden Building Manufacturing industry faces fierce competition from prefabricated buildings manufactured using metal, PVC and fibre cement and substitution by traditional on-site building construction. Incremental improvements in technology and design help the industry capture an increased share of the total building market. Manufacturers have faced fluctuations in the downstream household, building and tourism markets. Still, industry revenue is expected to climb at an annualised 4.5% over the past five years to reach $529.0 million in 2023-24.

In recent years, growth in capital expenditure on non-residential building construction has underpinned sales of relocatable buildings like modular classrooms, pop-up kiosks and... Learn More