Fastest Growing Industries by Exports in Australia in 2025

1. Industrial Gas Manufacturing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 33.7%

The development of new products and technologies, growing environmental concerns and changing demand patterns among key markets have shaped industry performance. Activity in key markets, including Australia's resources, manufacturing and healthcare sectors, has also been instrumental in the industry's growth. These markets have been subject to cyclical variations.

That's why the Industrial Gas Manufacturing industry revenue is expected to contract at an annualised 6.6% over the five years through 2023-24, to $2.8 billion, disguising the industry's highly volatile performance. This includes a drop of 2.6% in 2023-24, constrained by weak demand from Australia's mining sector. Industry manufacturers suffered from soaring... Learn More

2. Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 32.3%

The Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry is beholden to the whims of government investment. Valuable contracts for delivery of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) warships and submarines have dictated the industry's trajectory. In 2017-18, industry revenue skyrocketed on the back of the Naval Shipbuilding Plan (NSP) announcement. The 2022 Defence Strategic Review (DSR) has cast uncertainty around many projects, with the Federal Government committing to reprioritising defence funding. However, the DSR has highlighted the commitments in-line with developing a more robust maritime division in tandem with the goals of the AUKUS alliance. Supply chain disruptions, travel restrictions and changing government objectives... Learn More

3. Beef Cattle Farming in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 19.6%

Beef cattle farmers have faced volatile operating conditions over the five years through 2022-23. Turn-off rates have fallen in response to improving grazing conditions, particularly over the two years through 2021-22. However, a decline in turn-off rates, combined with strong demand for Australian beef in export markets, has put upward pressure on beef cattle prices. This has supported revenue growth over the past five years. Revenue is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 2.0% over the five years through 2022-23, to an estimated $21.4 billion. This result includes an expected decline of 10.2% in 2022-23 due to... Learn More

4. Tree Nut Growing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 18.9%

Operators in the Tree Nut Growing industry grow almonds, macadamias, walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and other tree nuts. The industry excludes peanut growing. Industry revenue has grown substantially over the past decade, as major players have invested heavily in expanding their operations to capitalise on growing global demand for tree nuts. Operating conditions have been volatile over the past five years. Revenue has fluctuated significantly over the period, due to changes in weather, nut prices and demand from export markets.

Rising export demand for tree nuts has driven the industry's performance over the past five years. A depreciating Australian dollar... Learn More

5. Silver, Lead and Zinc Ore Mining in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 18.0%

Revenue for the Silver, Lead and Zinc Ore Mining industry has been highly volatile over the past five years, with a general upward trend. This result has been due to greater export demand, moderate growth in domestic demand, and fluctuations in pricing for lead, silver and zinc. Industry revenue is projected to increase at an annualised 7.2% over the five years through 2021-22, to total $6.2 billion, with the COVID-19 pandemic minimally affecting the industry. This trend includes an expected rise of 2.9% in the current year, reflecting higher zinc and lead prices, and a fall in silver prices. Much... Learn More

6. Plaster Product Manufacturing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 17.6%

Operators in the Plaster Product Manufacturing industry produce a range of gypsum-based products that are mainly used for internal cladding of building walls and ceilings. The industry's performance depends heavily on trends in the downstream building markets, which have displayed widely divergent trends over the past five years. The residential building market has provided the largest source of demand for plaster products for much of the past five years, supported by historically low interest rates and underlying population growth. However, demand from the apartment and townhouse construction market has contracted sharply from the record peak in 2017-18. Similarly, demand from... Learn More

7. Gold Ore Mining in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 15.4%

Gold ore mining revenue has soared, as central bank purchases and investor demand for safe-haven assets have driven gold prices higher. A weaker Australian dollar also lifted returns for domestic producers, with gold priced in US dollars in global markets.

Gold mining is a well-established industry in Australia, and production volumes have grown over much of the past decade, contributing to an annualised 4.0% increase in gold ore mining revenue through the end of 2022-23, to $22.7 billion. Gold is considered a counter-cyclical commodity and safe-haven asset during national and global economic uncertainty, with rocky US-China trade negotiations, the COVID-19 pandemic... Learn More

8. Metal Furniture Manufacturing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 13.5%

Trading conditions for metal furniture manufacturers were favourable in 2018-19 due to high demand from the construction sector. However, restrictions to foreign real estate investment and economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to fluctuating downstream demand from the construction sector, causing revenue volatility. The growing popularity of electronic information storage over storing paper records in metal filing cabinets has also affected operators. Revenue is expected to decline at an annualised 1.2% over the five years through 2023-24 to an estimated $807.4 million.

Lingering unfavourable trading conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have further reduced revenue, including an anticipated... Learn More

9. Milk Powder Manufacturing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 13.5%

Milk powder manufacturers have faced challenging conditions in recent years. Domestic raw milk production has fallen over the past five years, reducing the amount available for milk powder manufacturers. Furthermore, falling production of butter in favour of cheese has limited the production of butter by-products, skim milk powder and buttermilk powder. While milk powder prices have risen, the pace of changes in prices relative to changes in production volumes has led to volatile revenue movements over the period. Overall, revenue is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 2.5% over the five years through 2023-24, to $833.5 million.... Learn More

10. Pesticide Manufacturing in Australia

Growth in Exports for 2025: 11.7%

Pesticide manufacturers have faced a challenging operating environment over the past decade. As consumers have become increasingly concerned about pesticides in the food chain, industry regulations have increased, particularly as residual-detection methods have improved. Several active ingredients have been withdrawn because of human health concerns over the period, reducing the industry's product portfolio. Simultaneously, pesticide manufacturers have incurred escalating costs in bringing new active ingredients to market, which have added to profit margin pressures. The industry has also contended with volatile weather conditions, including bushfires, droughts and floods in large parts of eastern Australia. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated supply... Learn More