Fieldays sales continue record high

2 September 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fieldays sales continue record high

Fieldays exhibitors have reported sales figures of $156.9 million over the four days of the event – trumping 2004’s then-record sales of $131.5 million. The data has been collated from exhibitor surveys for the 2005 June Fieldays event

Agricultural Fieldays chairman Lloyd Downing said “it is a colossal amount of sales” that shows the confidence farmers have on the industry and the constant technology development.

“We are seeing a positive outlook for farmers through this increase in confidence for the technology and also the growing international market,” Mr Downing said.

“It looks to be very profitable for the future, for the agriculture sector,” he said.

Gallagher Group Limited national sales manager Peter Nation said "Gallagher Animal Management Systems had a brilliant year this year at Fieldays 2005. It exceeded all our expectations and targets, frankly a record year in every respect. Our site experienced high traffic volumes along with huge interest in our Expo Centre".

Corohawk director Chris Hawkings says the Fieldays are a must for their business. We have experienced exceptional growth over the last few years that is directly attributed to exhibiting at the Fieldays.

“This year we had potential sales of $1.3 million, we use the Fieldays for sales, to analyse markets, and client requirements,” Mr Hawkings said.

Fieldays general manager Barry Quayle sees this trend of increasing sales as a result of the “innovation culture we are experiencing in New Zealand.”

New Zealand is not just producing commodities, it is adding value and drive to create new innovations, which is a significant contributing factor for agribusiness success and Fieldays success, Mr Quayle said.

“Ever year companies release a large number of new innovations, with 47% of exhibitors at Fieldays releasing new products.”

It is only in these recent years that we are seeing this explosion of revenue due to the quality of the products and the nature in which the agricultural business is moving,” said Mr Quayle.

“Since 2001 we have seen a gradual increase of $92 million, over four years, in Fieldays sales, to a much higher plateau than that achieved in the 1990s.

“I am delighted and somewhat astonished at an incredible lift in the business activity now associated with the Fieldays. However this is a reflection of how the Fieldays event has become an essential part of agribusiness marketing as well as the world importance of the event,” said Mr Quayle.

Total New Zealand and overseas sales arising from both during and in the months after the event, reported from exhibitor surveys, are expected to reach over the $290 million mark, compared to that of $219.6 million for the previous year in 2004.

ENDS

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