Hon Nathan Guy
Minister for Primary Industries
15 June 2017
Primary sector exports to reach record levels
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says the primary sector is forecast for a bumper year ahead after some
challenging past seasons of wet conditions, earthquakes, cyclones, and volatile global commodity prices.
Mr Guy’s comments come as the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) releases its latest Situation and Outlook for
Primary Industries (SOPI) at the National Fieldays.
“MPI are forecasting that primary sector exports will grow to $41.6 billion in the year to June 2018 – this is an
increase of 9.1 percent and would be the highest level ever,” says Mr Guy.
“Strong forestry and dairy prices, combined with increasing production of apples, wine, and kiwifruit have underpinned
growth for the year ending June 2017.
“Dairy prices for most products are forecast to remain at or near current levels as global demand and supply rebalance,
while high forestry prices will continue to encourage record harvest levels.
“Horticulture exports are also forecast to continue their strong growth across a range of wine, fruit, and vegetable
products. Meat and wool exports are forecast to recover to $8.5 billion following an almost 10 percent fall in export
values for the year ending June 2017,” says Mr Guy.
Mr Guy says that new market opportunities and diversification into higher value products such as chilled meat, retail
ready products, and nutraceuticals will help to further increase the value of our primary sector exports.
“This week’s National Fieldays is a great showcase of the range of innovative and world-leading kiwi food producers who
are really helping underpin the performance of our economy,” says Mr Guy.
“The Government will continue to back the sector and support our exporters on-farm, such as through the Primary Growth
Partnership and the Sustainable Farming Fund.
“The Government is also supporting our exporters in-market by investing $134 million over the next four years to achieve
the objectives in Trade Agenda 2030.
“This strategy provides more support to primary sector exporters to diversify, greater resource to government to
tackling non-tariff barriers, and aims to have 90 percent of our goods exports covered by free trade agreements (FTAs)
by 2030,” says Mr Guy.
Link to SOPI (June 2017) - http://www.mpi.govt.nz/document-vault/18443
ends