ABC

South Australia's food industry has grown by $1 billion in the past year despite tough economic conditions.

SA's gross food revenue grew by nine per cent to a record $12.4 billion.

Agriculture Minister Paul Caica says meat and fish have been good performers.

"These are very good results if you consider that we have had three years of unprecedented drought and also commodity prices being down," he said.

"People have to eat. Quite simply what has happened is that our commodities have been knocked around because of the drought.

"They've also been knocked around because of reduction in prices that we're able to get for commodities because of the global financial crisis and we've certainly picked up and improved in the area of finished food."