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.

As of June 2024, there were approximately 23.59 million sheep in New Zealand, a slight decrease from the previous year in which there were around 24.36 million sheep in the country. The number of sheep in the country has declined over the past decade.  Sheep farming New Zealand was once known for its disproportionate number of sheep per population. However, since the 1970s, the country’s sheep population has fallen drastically. A major factor that has contributed to this decline is sheep farming land lost to other purposes such as urban sprawl, dairy farming, and horticulture farming. The number of lamb livestock has similarly seen a decline. Consumption and exports Sheep in New Zealand are bred for wool and meat, including mutton and lamb. New Zealand is a significant player in the global wool market. The country exports strong wool to leading textile manufacturers around the world. However, along with sheep numbers, wool production has decreased significantly across New Zealand. In terms of domestic meat consumption, the per capita consumption of sheep meat in New Zealand was forecast to decline into the next decade. When looking at trade, the leading country for sheep meat exports from New Zealand was China, with the United Kingdom and the United States trailing behind.

New Zealand's average farm sale prices showed significant regional variations in the three months to November 2024. The price of farm property in the country was the highest in the Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman region as of November 2024, with an average sale price of around 148,180 New Zealand dollars per hectare. In comparison, in the Auckland region, the average farm sales price came to just over 61,000 dollars per hectare. A farming nation The agriculture industry is a major economic pillar of the country. The contribution to the nation’s GDP is valued in the billions of New Zealand dollars. Horticulture, livestock, and dairying are all important segments, and the commodities produced within them are exported across the globe. While sheep livestock numbers have declined, they still make up a large share of the country’s livestock population. Horticultural farming While New Zealand exports various horticultural products, including wine grapes, potatoes, and apples, it is perhaps best known for its kiwi fruit. Accordingly, the land area dedicated to kiwi fruit farming has continued to increase over the years. New Zealand’s leading horticultural product export destinations include Asia, Europe, and Australia.

As of June 2024, there were approximately 3.66 million beef cattle in New Zealand, a slight decrease from the previous year, when there were around 3.65 million beef cattle in the country. The number of beef cattle, including bulls, steers, and cows fluctuated during the measured period. Livestock farming industry in New Zealand New Zealand is well known for its superior livestock industry, especially in sheep and beef production. While the large sheep population in New Zealand has historical significance, it has declined significantly during the last ten years. The decline can be attributed to numerous factors, including the conversion of sheep farming land for alternative purposes such as urban expansion, the expansion of dairy farming, and the development of horticulture farming. Apart from sheep, there has also been a decrease in the number of lamb cattle. New Zealand’s dairy farming industry The dairy industry is vital to the country’s broader agricultural sector. New Zealand’s cows produce milk processed into various dairy products, consumed locally and internationally. Thus, the dairy industry accounts for a significant amount of New Zealand's export revenue. The environmental challenges facing dairy producers nationwide have gained increasing attention from the public and environmental organizations. The degradation of water quality and greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy cattle production are two key issues being discussed.

The number of dairy cattle on farms in New Zealand has decreased since the beginning of the measured period, 2014, to reach approximately 5.92 million cows as of June 2024. The milk produced from these cows is processed into a large variety of dairy products which are consumed locally and globally. Subsequently, the dairy industry makes up a large portion of New Zealand’s export income. Dairy farming Holstein-Friesian/Jersey crossbreed cows were the most common breed of dairy cow in the country. Farmers have been moving towards crossbred cows to combine the best traits from the two major dairy breeds. The Waikato and North Canterbury regions were the strongest in terms of the dairy cow distribution. While dairy farming has historically been more dominant in the North Island, herd numbers in the South Island have been increasing. Most dairy companies in the country are farmer-based cooperatives, with Fonterra leading the pack. Environmental impact The environmental challenges facing dairy farmers across the country have increasingly been highlighted by the public and environmental groups. Water quality degradation and greenhouse gas emissions due to dairy cattle farming are two of the biggest issues that have been debated. In response, the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord was implemented in 2013 as a set of national good management practice benchmarks aimed at lifting environmental performance of dairy farms.

In 2018, 670 people who were employed in the poultry, deer and other livestock farming industry in New Zealand came from Canterbury. Contrastingly, for the same year, 110 people who were employed in the poultry, deer and other livestock farming industry were from Gisborne in New Zealand.

In 2018, 5,400 people who were employed in the dairy cattle farming industry in New Zealand came from Waikato. Contrastingly, for the same year, 410 people who were employed in the dairy cattle farming industry were from Wellington in New Zealand.

In 2018, 2,850 people who were employed in the sheep, beef cattle and grain farming industry in New Zealand came from Canterbury. Contrastingly, for the same year, 370 people who were employed in the sheep, beef cattle and grain farming industry were from Taranaki in New Zealand.

This statistic depicts the number of employees in dairy farming in New Zealand from 2000 to 2015. In 2015, there were around 27,100 people employed in dairy farming in New Zealand.

In 2018, 2,100 people who were employed in the agriculture, forest and fish support service industry in New Zealand came from the Bay of Plenty. Contrastingly, for the same year, 380 people who were employed in the agriculture, forest and fish support service industry were from Wellington in New Zealand.

The statistic shows the distribution of employment in New Zealand by economic sector from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, 6.02 percent of the employees in New Zealand were active in the agricultural sector, 20.77 percent in industry and 73.2 percent in the service sector.