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The report was launched at the Fieldays in Hamilton.
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.”
Trade Minister Todd McClay says his officials plan to meet their US counterparts every month from now on to better understand how the 15% tariff issue there will play out, and try and get some certainty there for our exporters about the future.
New Zealand avocado growers have received a major boost by securing a collective FernMark Licence for their exports.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says the US tariff decision appears to be based on a calculation of trade deficits, with countries running a surplus with the US moved to the higher rate.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
A long running trade dispute between New Zealand and Canada over dairy access has been resolved.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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