increase font size
The annual Ahuwhenua Trophy awards night is a display of strength to showcase the Māori agri economy, says MPI.
The Māori agriculture sector is experiencing major growth and the Director General of Ministry for Primary Industries Ray Smith says it's an area to watch with its value trebling in the past decade.
In the latest MPI report on the situation and outlook for the primary sector, the value of Māori collectives assets has risen from $6 million to $19 billion since 2013. Collectives include Māori trusts, incorporations and iwi-owned commercial arms but does not include the assets of individual Māori who operate in the overall primary sector.
Māori collectives assets in sheep and beef farming increased by $100 million from $7.1 billion in 2018 to $7.2 billion in 2023. Sheep and beef is the biggest single asset class with dairy in second place at $4.4 billion, with forestry and fishing next. But the biggest growth has come in the horticulture sector at just on $2 billion.
The MPI report says this shows the strong ongoing growth in the Māori food and fibre sector and in the wider economy. It says it also suggests a shift towards higher value options that generate greater revenue. The report looks at the proportion of Māori assets in the food and fibre sector as opposed to other investments. It shows that Māori collectives in the Wairarapa are the highest at 87%, with Tairawhiti at 73%, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki at 61%, and Northland and Waikato at 47%. The collectives with the lowest asset base in the Māori food and fibre space was Auckland.
Smith says people sometimes underestimate Māori agribusiness and how much Māori ownership there is in the agri sector, be it forestry, fisheries, sheep and beef farming, dairy or horticulture.
"We have been working hard to try and bring the Māori agribusiness story out so that people can see it," he says.
Smith says it's also important for those Māori farming communities to see how much they contribute to their own communities and the wider economy. He noted that this year, Māori sheep and beef operations will be competing for the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy - an award that has been running for more than 90 years which recognises excellence in Māori farming.
"It's a great event with more than 800 people expected to turn up for the final awards night in June, in a display of strength to showcase the Māori agri economy," he says.
Smith says as well as the main competition, it is great to see the competition for the young Māori farmer which again demonstrated the calibre of young Māori rising through the ranks of the sector.
Recently two of New Zealand's top Maori sheep and beef farms held field days as part of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition. The two are: Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, northeast of Whangarei, and the proprietors of Tawapata Onenui farm on Mahia Peninsula in southern Hawke's Bay. Reporter Peter Burke attended both field days.
Data from February 2025 shows volumes of bulk wine exports exceeded packaged wine.
The drought breaking rain in Northland was greeted with much joy and delight by the more than 200 people who turned out last week for a field day at the farm of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust near the east coast settlement of Whangaruru, about 70km from Whangarei.
The drought in western parts of the North Island is reaching crisis point with many farmers from Northland to Taranaki having to truck in water and feed for their stock at great expense.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…
OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.
