Agriculture is one of New Zealand’s leading industries, employing thousands of people and contributing to a significant portion of the country’s overseas trade. In 2024, around 79.2 thousand people were employed in the New Zealand agriculture industry. Agriculture’s economic contribution With a GDP contribution of over 14 billion New Zealand dollars, the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry is one of the nation’s most important. A large portion of the country’s agricultural products are exported. The dairy industry was the leading primary goods export industry in New Zealand, with meat and wool products following behind. Agricultural products New Zealand produces a vast array of agricultural products for both domestic consumption and exports. The kiwi is perhaps one of the fruits most associated with New Zealand’s horticultural sector, with a high-volume and wide variety sold in the country. Similarly, New Zealand dairy products, such as milk and milk powders, are also well-known on the global stage.

The agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry is a major production and export industry in New Zealand. In the year ended March 2024, the gross domestic product (GDP) of this industry amounted to over 14.4 billion New Zealand dollars.  New Zealand agriculture  Pastoral farming of sheep and cattle constitutes a large portion of the New Zealand agriculture industry. Despite continuing a declining trend, New Zealand’s sheep population exceeded 23 million in 2024. Sheep meat and wool are both important agricultural commodities produced in the country. These products, along with beef and lamb, are consumed domestically as well as exported overseas. Horticulture production is also an important segment. A wide variety of fresh and processed fruit and vegetables are produced, consumed, and exported from New Zealand. The highest value of horticultural exports from New Zealand went to Asia in 2024. Changing consumption habits The consumption of beef and veal in New Zealand is projected to decrease over the next years. At the same time, global meat consumption is predicted to reduce significantly in the next 15 years, with meat replacements and alternatives filling the market. With the country’s agriculture industry dependent on its meat exports, this presents both challenges and opportunities for New Zealand agriculture.

In 2018, the energy demand in the agriculture industry in New Zealand amounted to around 22 petajoules. In the same year, the energy demand in New Zealand was dominated by the industrial and transport sectors.

New Zealand NZ: Total Fisheries Production data was reported at 533,807.200 Metric Ton in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 524,588.200 Metric Ton for 2015. New Zealand NZ: Total Fisheries Production data is updated yearly, averaging 304,555.000 Metric Ton from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 741,836.100 Metric Ton in 1998 and a record low of 44,557.000 Metric Ton in 1964. New Zealand NZ: Total Fisheries Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Total fisheries production measures the volume of aquatic species caught by a country for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes. The harvest from mariculture, aquaculture and other kinds of fish farming is also included.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization.; Sum;

Data on the economic performance of the agriculture industry describes agriculture’s contribution to the New Zealand economy. It provides supporting information for the land, atmosphere and climate, and freshwater domains. This dataset relates to the "Economic performance of the agriculture industry" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

In 2023, around 2.47 thousand gigawatt hours of electricity were consumed in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries in New Zealand. This marked a decrease in agricultural electricity consumption compared to the previous year.

Graph and download economic data for Benchmarked Unit Labor Costs - Business Sector (Excluding Agriculture) for New Zealand (DISCONTINUED) (NZLULCBXAAPNMEI) from 1979 to 2010 about New Zealand, unit labor cost, agriculture, sector, business, and rate.

DATA SOURCE: Statistics New Zealand Agricultural Production Survey (APS)

Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency

Dataset used to develop the "Farm numbers and size" indicator [available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/farm-numbers-and-size]

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We present the number and area of farms in New Zealand and by region from 2002 to 2019.

More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

New Zealand NZ: Fertilizer Consumption: % of Fertilizer Production data was reported at 338.126 % in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 338.126 % for 2015. New Zealand NZ: Fertilizer Consumption: % of Fertilizer Production data is updated yearly, averaging 254.142 % from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2016, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 409.117 % in 2006 and a record low of 175.929 % in 2010. New Zealand NZ: Fertilizer Consumption: % of Fertilizer Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients used per unit of arable land. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. For the purpose of data dissemination, FAO has adopted the concept of a calendar year (January to December). Some countries compile fertilizer data on a calendar year basis, while others are on a split-year basis.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

New Zealand NZ: Cereal Yield: per Hectare data was reported at 8,383.800 kg/ha in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 8,026.600 kg/ha for 2015. New Zealand NZ: Cereal Yield: per Hectare data is updated yearly, averaging 4,707.950 kg/ha from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2016, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,383.800 kg/ha in 2016 and a record low of 2,732.600 kg/ha in 1963. New Zealand NZ: Cereal Yield: per Hectare data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Cereal yield, measured as kilograms per hectare of harvested land, includes wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded. The FAO allocates production data to the calendar year in which the bulk of the harvest took place. Most of a crop harvested near the end of a year will be used in the following year.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

New Zealand NZ: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data was reported at 5.487 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.265 % for 2015. New Zealand NZ: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data is updated yearly, averaging 8.156 % from Mar 1972 (Median) to 2016, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.502 % in 1973 and a record low of 5.487 % in 2016. New Zealand NZ: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Value Added: Agriculture data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Gross Domestic Product: Share of GDP. Agriculture corresponds to ISIC divisions 1-5 and includes forestry, hunting, and fishing, as well as cultivation of crops and livestock production. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3 or 4.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; Weighted average; Note: Data for OECD countries are based on ISIC, revision 4.

New Zealand NZ: Production Index: 2004-2006: Food data was reported at 119.150 2004-2006=100 in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 120.130 2004-2006=100 for 2015. New Zealand NZ: Production Index: 2004-2006: Food data is updated yearly, averaging 68.180 2004-2006=100 from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2016, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 120.130 2004-2006=100 in 2015 and a record low of 40.190 2004-2006=100 in 1961. New Zealand NZ: Production Index: 2004-2006: Food data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production Index. Food production index covers food crops that are considered edible and that contain nutrients. Coffee and tea are excluded because, although edible, they have no nutritive value.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

The New Zealand agricultural appliance market skyrocketed to $14M in 2024, growing by 62% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). Overall, consumption, however, showed a deep contraction. Agricultural appliance consumption peaked at $74M in 2014; however, from 2015 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

The primary sector in New Zealand recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of around 17 billion New Zealand dollars in the year ended March 2024. This sector includes the agriculture and mining industries, which are major production and export industries of the country.

The Agriculture Software Market is Segmented by Deployment Type (Cloud (Software-As-A-Service (SaaS), Platform-As-A-Service (PaaS)) and On-Premise), Application (Precision Farming, Livestock Tracking and Monitoring, Smart Greenhouse, Precision Forestry, and Other Applications), Geography (North America (United States, Canada), Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Australia and New Zealand, Thailand, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of Latin America), Middle East & Africa). The Market Sizes and Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD) for all the Segments.

Contains data from the World Bank's data portal covering the following topics which also exist as individual datasets on HDX: Agriculture and Rural Development, Aid Effectiveness, Economy and Growth, Education, Energy and Mining, Environment, Financial Sector, Health, Infrastructure, Social Protection and Labor, Private Sector, Public Sector, Science and Technology, Social Development, Urban Development, Gender, Millenium development goals, Climate Change, External Debt, Trade.

New Zealand NZ: Land under Cereal Production data was reported at 130,787.000 ha in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 138,865.000 ha for 2015. New Zealand NZ: Land under Cereal Production data is updated yearly, averaging 151,473.000 ha from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2016, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 266,842.000 ha in 1986 and a record low of 112,204.000 ha in 2006. New Zealand NZ: Land under Cereal Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Land under cereal production refers to harvested area, although some countries report only sown or cultivated area. Cereals include wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Sum;

In 2019, the number of female employees who worked in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry in New Zealand was just under 46 thousand. The number of women working in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry in New Zealand has declined gradually since 2017.

Industry operators primarily farm and breed deer, pigs, goats, fur skin animals and other livestock.

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Agricultural Harvesters in New Zealand from 2007 to 2024.