In New Zealand, primary sector confidence seems to be shifting from dairy into horticulture. The latest figures from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) bear out the shifting pattern of the NZ primary export sector, with its biggest primary export, dairy, seemingly topped out at around $18billion at least for the next three years, meat stuck at around $10billion and forestry down around 16% year on year at $5.8billion. Returns for horticultural farmers, meanwhile, jumped 13.7% for the year to $6.1billion.
MPI's latest ''situation and outlook'' report forecasts it will move into third place as the country's biggest export earner next year, at $6.3billion. This is supported by strong demand from Asian markets, particularly for apples - which doubled exports to China in the first half of 2019 - as well as high production volumes for gold kiwifruit and attendant higher prices, MPI says.
Reflecting the trend from pastoral to horticulture, investment funds such as syndication group MyFarm Investments, have shifted their focus from dairy over the past few years, into kiwifruit, vineyards, manuka and even hop gardens. There is no doubt the sector is flourishing and is destined to do so over the next few years at least.
Source: odt.co.nz
