A rural think tank is warning Australia's agriculture export performance is waning in the face of stiff competition from rising agricultural producers.

At the centre of the issue is Australia's lack of new farm lands, which has effectively capped agricultural production when compared with countries in Asian and South America where production is expanding.

The Australian Farm Institute's trade review concludes that with little opportunity to expand production, Australian agriculture needs a renewed focus on productivity gains.

"In effect, Australia is losing market share in those neighbouring markets that we identify as our own," director Mick Keogh said.

"That really is a wake up call about the need to be competitive and to be not assuming these markets are ours and there for the taking."

The AFI's analysis found the growth of Australia's exports to every global region except Oceania and North Asia was slower than the equivalent global growth figure.

Alarmingly, the report also finds that in addition to the volume of exports fall, so too is the value.

"The results highlight the need for Australian agricultural producers and exporters to dispel any complacency that might be held about the ability of Australian agriculture to automatically benefit from the growth in global demand for agricultural product as world populations increase and diets change." — Australian Farm Institute: Review of Agriculture Trade Performance 2016.

Mr Keogh said the report's finding highlighted the need to find on-going productivity improvements.

"The one thing we have learned from our New Zealand cousins' success is that isn't something you do and then stop.

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"You cannot assume our agriculture sector is competitive and going to be successful — it is a continuous process."

Speaking to the draft findings of a recent Productivity Commission report, Mr Keogh said there would not be a single action that will help boost productivity.

"All the sorts of things that have been talked about in that Productivity Commission report are worth thinking about, especially in terms of continual improvement.

"You cannot assume there is a 'big bang' solution to successfully capturing all these markets."