Grass-fed red meat campaign targets wealthy Chinese consumers
An eight million dollar, three year campaign to get wealthy Chinese to buy New Zealand beef and lamb is now underway.
Food and fibre export revenue is tipped to reach $54.6 billion this year and hit a record $66.6b in 2028 as the Government focuses on getting better access to markets and cutting red tape.
The forecasts were released today in the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) published by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The report was launched at the Fieldays in Hamilton.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says this achievement is testament to the hard work and resilience of farmers, growers, processors, fishers and foresters.
Amid global inflation and lower demand, this year’s forecast result is a 5% dip on last year’s record $57.4b. However, export revenue is expected to lift significantly over the coming four years, with sustained growth forecasting a record $66.6b in 2028.
“The Coalition Government has set the aspirational goal of becoming an exporting powerhouse by doubling the value of our exports in 10 years. Our food and fibre sector will be pivotal to achieving this goal,” McClay says.
“As a small exporting economy, the Government is committed to easing the path for New Zealand’s exports and tackling barriers faced by our food and fibre exporters.
“My visits to China, the Gulf regions, India, and Southeast Asia are already paying dividends, with negotiations kicking off on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates to open up new commercial opportunities for our exporters.
“It is only through the continued growth of New Zealand’s high quality, safe and sustainable exports that our economy is boosted, our cost of living reduced and the public services Kiwis deserve are funded,” McClay says.
Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says to grow New Zealand’s exports and continue providing vital food and fibre needed here too, the country needs the right settings, tools, and support for producers.
“The Government is working to ensure regulations are less costly and bureaucratic while protecting our environment, as our domestic and overseas consumers expect.
“An example of this is the recent introduction of the Resource Management (Extended Duration of Coastal Permits for Marine Farms) Amendment Bill. It will extend current resource consents for marine farms by up to 20 years, removing a significant burden on the aquaculture industry and providing certainty for the future of marine farms.”
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.
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