The 2009 Agricultural Production Survey covered livestock and arable farming, horticulture and forestry, and included questions on farm practices (including fertiliser and cultivation). This release contains provisional results for key livestock, forestry, arable, and horticultural crops. Provisional results may change after further processing and analysis of data. Final results will be released on 13 May 2010 and will be available at regional level.
The 2009 survey was part of the current programme of censuses and surveys of agricultural production. This programme began with a census in 2002, followed by annual sample surveys from 2003 to 2006. A census was held in 2007 followed by a sample survey in 2008.
Figures in this release have been rounded. All percentages in this release have been calculated using unrounded figures.
Sheep
Total sheep numbers at 30 June 2009 were estimated at 32.4 million, down 1.7 million from 34.1 million in 2008. Although sheep numbers fell in 2009, the fall was not as great as between 2007 and 2008, when numbers dropped by 4.4 million. The 2009 sheep flock was 28.2 million below the 60.6 million recorded 20 years ago in 1989, and less than half the peak of 70.0 million sheep recorded in 1982.
In the year ended 30 June 2009, 28.0 million lambs were tailed, 3.1 million fewer than in the previous year.
In 2009, 23.9 million ewes and ewe hoggets were mated, down from 25.0 million in 2008. In comparison, 42.5 million were mated in 1989.
The fall in the national breeding flock since the 1980s has been partly offset by increases in the lambing percentage. In 2009, a lambing percentage of 119 was achieved compared with 102 in 1989.
Dairy
At 30 June 2009 New Zealand had 5.8 million dairy cattle, 240,000 more than in 2008. In the past twenty years, the number of dairy cattle has increased by 76 percent from 3.3 million in 1989.
The increased number of dairy cattle in 2009 resulted from growth in the milking herd (cows and heifers in milk or in calf). The milking herd grew to 4.6 million in 2009, up from 4.3 million in 2008. This expansion was due to both dairy conversions and growth in existing milking herds. In 2009, more older cows were kept for milk production.
The 2009 dairy replacement herd (cows and heifers not in milk or in calf, and rising one-year-old heifers, and heifer calves) remained similar to the 2008 size of 1.2 million.
Beef
Beef cattle numbered 4.1 million at 30 June 2009. This number is similar to 2008 and 430,000 fewer than in 1989.
The number of the beef cows and heifers in calf remained stable at 1.1 million at 30 June 2009.
An estimated 910,000 calves were born to beef cows and heifers during the year ended June 2009, 7 percent fewer than in 2008.
Deer
Total deer numbers at 30 June 2009 were estimated at 1.2 million, down 6 percent from 2008. Although deer numbers have fallen in recent years, they are still almost 50 percent above the 1989 figure of 780,000.
In 2009, there were 569,000 female deer mated, down 4 percent from an estimated 595,000 in 2008.
During the year ended June 2009, there were 436,000 fawns born and alive at four months, which is 12 percent lower than the previous year. This drop was in line with the fall in the number of female deer mated between 2007 and 2008, when numbers fell 13 percent.
Forestry
An estimated 40,000 hectares of exotic forest were harvested during the year ended 31 March 2009, a 6 percent decrease from 42,700 hectares in 2008.
New area planted during the year ended 31 March 2009 totalled 2,300 hectares, similar to the 2,700 hectares planted in the previous year. In the year ended 31 December 2001, there were 33,700 hectares of new plantings.
In 2009, there were 31,100 hectares of exotic forest replanted, down 6 percent from 33,100 hectares in the previous year. In 2001 there were 42,500 hectares replanted.
Grain crops
Wheat
Substantial increases in both the area and tonnage of wheat harvested were recorded in 2009. The area harvested was 53,900 hectares, up 27 percent on the 42,300 hectares harvested in 2008. The tonnage was 408,400, up from 343,400 tonnes in 2008. The figures include both bread wheat and wheat harvested for other purposes.
Barley
The hectares of barley harvested increased 15 percent, from 67,400 hectares in 2008 to 77,800 in 2009. The tonnage increased by 41,100 tonnes to 449,800 tonnes in 2009.
Maize grain
In 2009, there were 23,100 hectares of maize grain harvested, an increase of 26 percent from 2008. The tonnage increased to 257,000 tonnes in 2009, up 51,400 tonnes from the previous year.
Horticulture
Before 2009, horticultural production information was last collected in the 2007 Agricultural Production Census.
Fruit
Wine grapes
The area planted in wine grapes has continued to increase. A total of 32,960 hectares were planted in 2009 – 3,340 hectares more than the 2007 area of 29,620 hectares.
The 2009 area was more than six times the area planted twenty years ago (4,830 hectares). The expansion of wine grape plantings reflects success in the export market. In the year ended 30 June 2009, there were 112 million litres of wine exported, excluding fortified wines. Whereas, in 1989, only 3 million litres were exported.
Vegetables
Potatoes
- 11,490 hectares of potatoes were harvested during the year ended 30 June 2009, up 14 percent from 10,050 hectares in 2007.
Onions
- 4,600 hectares of onions were harvested during the year ended 30 June 2009 – similar to the area harvested in 2007.
Buttercup squash
- 6,960 hectares of buttercup squash were harvested during the year ended 30 June 2009, 810 hectares less than the 2007 harvest of 7,770 hectares.
Sweet corn
- 5,040 hectares of sweet corn were harvested in 2009, down 19 percent from 6,210 hectares in 2007.
The 2009 sweet corn harvest was affected by factors including competition (such as alternative land use), unfavourable weather conditions in Hawke's Bay, and the closure of a processing plant in South Canterbury.
More 2009 provisional statistics
Additional provisional statistics are available via InfoShare on the Statistics New Zealand website. Statistics are available, at the national level only, for pig numbers and more detailed age-sex categories for sheep, dairy and beef cattle, and deer.
Next release ...
Agricultural Production Statistics (Final): June 2009 will be released on 13 May 2010.
For technical information contact:
Andrew Chou
Auckland 09 920 9100
Email: info@stats.govt.nz