Agricultural Production Statistics: June 2007 (Provisional)

This release contains provisional results from the 2007 Agricultural Production Census. The census covered livestock and arable farming, horticulture and forestry and included questions on farming practices.

The 2007 Census is part of the current programme of censuses and surveys of agricultural production. This programme began with a census in 2002 and was followed by annual sample surveys during the 2003 to 2006 period. Before the current programme, the last census was held in 1994.

Estimates from sample surveys are subject to sampling errors. Refer to the Technical notes of this release for further information.

These results are provisional and can change after further processing and analysis of data. Final results, including regional figures, are scheduled for release on 14 May 2008.

Figures in this release have been rounded. All percentages in this release have been calculated using unrounded figures.

Sheep

The number of lambs tailed in the year to 30 June 2007 was 33.5 million. This is a similar number compared to the previous year when 33.8 million was estimated. In the year to 30 June 1994 there were 36.2 million lambs tailed.

Dairy

Provisional results show the national dairy herd reached 5.3 million, 2 percent higher than in 2006. There were 1.4 million (38 percent) more dairy cattle in 2007 than in 1994 when there were 3.8 million.

The number of dairy cows and heifers in milk or calf increased to 4.2 million.

Beef

Total beef cattle numbered 4.4 million at 30 June 2007. There were 12 percent fewer beef cattle in 2007 than in 1994.

The 2007 beef breeding herd numbered 1.2 million, down by 68,200 from 2006.

The number of beef calves born during the year to June 2007 was 1 million. Numbers have remained stable since 2004.

Deer

Deer numbers decreased to an estimated 1.4 million at 30 June 2007. This is down 12 percent on the 2006 figure of 1.6 million. Breeding stock numbers continued to decline. In 2007 there were 681,000 female deer mated, 8 percent fewer than in 2006.

There were 538,100 fawns born during the year to 30 June 2007, 10 percent fewer than the previous year.

Deer numbers for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 are not directly comparable with 2002 and 2003 figures. Changes made to the questions about deer from 2004 onwards have resulted in improved estimates of deer numbers.

Forestry

There were 43,000 hectares of exotic forest harvested during the year to 31 March 2007. This is similar to levels recorded in recent years. There were 34,100 hectares of exotic forest replanted, down 7 percent on the previous year.

Provisional results show there were 2,600 hectares of new area planted during the year to 31 March 2007. This is down from the 4,700 hectares planted in the previous year. The estimated 2007 figure is 8 percent of the area of new plantings during the year to 31 December 2001, which was 33,700 hectares.

Horticulture

Before 2007, horticultural production information was last collected in the 2005 Agricultural Production Survey.

Fruit

Apples

The area planted in apples has continued to fall. There were 9,340 hectares in 2007 which is 15 percent fewer than the 2005 area (10,980 hectares) and 39 percent fewer than the 1994 area (15,260 hectares).

Wine Grapes

The total area planted in wine grapes has continued to increase. The provisional estimated area at 30 June 2007 was 29,680 hectares, which is 23 percent more than the 2005 area (24,190 hectares), and over four times the 1994 planted area (7,160 hectares).

Kiwifruit

In 2007 the total area planted in kiwifruit was 13,170 hectares, which is 10 percent more than the 2005 planted area (12,030 Hectares). In 1994 there were 12,170 hectares planted.

Avocados

In 2007 the total area planted in avocados was 3,990 hectares. This was 17 percent more than the area planted in 2005 (3,400 hectares) and almost three times the area planted in 1994 (1,370 hectares).

Vegetables

There were 7,690 hectares of squash harvested during the year to 30 June 2007. This is 7 percent higher than the 7,150 hectares harvested in the 2005 year.

There were 4,660 hectares of onions harvested during the year to 30 June 2007. This is down 6 percent on the 4,930 hectares harvested in the 2005 year.

There were 10,010 hectares of potatoes harvested during the year to 30 June 2007, down 8 percent on the 10,850 hectares harvested in the 2005 year.