Displaying items by tag: Andrew Burtt

Drought in the North Island had a significant impact on the number of lambs tailed in the first half of this season.

A rosy outlook on sheepmeat needs to be slightly tempered by market realities, one meat company suggests.

New Zealand’s red meat exports reached $6.7 billion in 2017-18.

Lamb prices are likely to flatten off a little, but stay pretty much towards current levels, says Beef+Lamb chief economist Andrew Burtt.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand says that during the past year the country’s beef herd increased by 2.8% to 3.6 million head.

Sheep and beef farm inputs were down 2.2% in the past year according to the latest onfarm inflation report, and last week two key fertiliser companies announced price drops.

Prices for inputs used on New Zealand sheep and beef farms decreased 2.1% in the year to March 2016.

White the lamb crop is the lowest since 1953, sheep farmers have become much more productive, says Beef + Lamb NZ chief economist Andrew Burtt.

Beef + Lamb NZ estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb crop since 1953.

The effects of an El Nino this summer – if it hits – will not necessarily be the same as during the last one in the late 1990s because of changes to farming practices, says Beef + Lamb NZ chief economist Andrew Burtt.