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: -54.8%

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. Copper Tubes and Wire Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -27.2%

Copper tubes and wire manufacturers have faced difficult trading conditions in recent years. Foreign manufacturers have placed significant competitive pressure on industry manufacturers, with low-cost overseas manufacturers that can leverage economies of scale dominating the domestic market. Competition from substitute products has also intensified. Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes have increasingly been used as a substitute for copper by plumbing contractors. In particular, plastic pipes are lighter in weight, easier to install and more flexible, giving them certain competitive advantages over copper.

Revenue has been negatively affected by weak demand for locally manufactured copper tubes and wires in downstream construction and manufacturing... 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. Petroleum Refining and Petroleum Fuel Manufacturing in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -21.1%

The Petroleum Refining and Petroleum Fuel Manufacturing industry has faced highly volatile conditions over recent years, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked turmoil on global energy supply chains. The global situation filtered down to Australia's petroleum market, contributing to the closure of two of Australia's last four remaining oil refineries. BP closed its refinery in Kwinana, while ExxonMobil shut down the Altona refinery. The closures resulted in these two energy giants leaving the industry altogether. Both the closed refineries were converted into import terminals, which meant that they directly intensified import competition in the industry. Overall, industry revenue is expected fall... 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. 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

10. Coal Mining in Australia

Decline in Exports for 2025: -15.6%

Coal is a key input in steelmaking and energy generation. Although coal deposits are found all over the world, Australia is one of the world's lowest cost producers and a major coal exporter. Domestic reserves exceed domestic demand, are high grade and economical to access. As a result, exports account for a large share of coal mining revenue. Imports are negligible, as local production is higher than domestic demand for coal. Black coal mining accounts for most activity, with some brown coal used domestically for electricity generation in Victoria.

Coal mining revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 14.6% over... Learn More