Agricultural production statistics show lower livestock numbers and mostly lower numbers of arable crops, although the accuracy has been affected by a much lower than usual response rate.
Comparing 30 June 2022 with the same date last year, there were:
- Dairy cattle: 5,916,700, down 4.3%.
- Sheep: 25,149,800, down 2.3%.
- Beef cattle: 3,841,800 million, down 3.1%.
- Deer: 776,400, down 4.6%.
Comparing the year ended 30 June 2022 with the previous year, tonnage harvested was:
- Wheat: 382,800, down 9.5%.
- Barley: 306,200, down 5.8%.
- Oats: 34,400, up 38.7%
- Maize: 195,400, down 6.6%
- Other cereal crops: 19,000, up 11.8%.
Statistics NZ noted that the 2022 provisional agricultural production census was based on data from only 67% of expected respondents, a much lower than usual response rate (for the 2017 census it was 84%). The lower response rate impacted on the accuracy of the release, compared with previous years.
The final results for the census are due in May 2023.
Image credit: Cansel
All those new “climate friendly” farming practices performing as expected.
Just for the record, I’ll eat politicians long before I eat bugs.
All the market/Govt signals are for farmers to go broke from excess regulation and tax and for pine trees to reign supreme. I’m surprised the numbers have not fallen further.
No surprises about the numbers Ben being that statistics nz is involved. Since the COVID-19 scam none of these people can accurately count. I bet it’s much higher than they are saying.