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Agribusiness in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Nicholas Schroeder Nicholas Schroeder Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: August 2023 ANZSIC X0005NZ

Revenue

$119.9bn

2023-24

$119.9bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

218k

Businesses

60,261

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Agribusiness in New Zealand industry analysis

The Agribusiness sector plays a key role in New Zealand's economy. The sector includes operators involved in agricultural production or services across the food supply chain. Some agribusiness industries are among the largest in New Zealand, like the Cheese, Butter and Milk Powder Manufacturing industry and the Meat Processing industry. Weather patterns and economic events, like the COVID-19 pandemic, influence production volumes and prices across the supply chain. However, the sector's diversity largely mitigates revenue fluctuations in a particular segment. Sectorwide revenue has been growing at an annualised 0.2% over the past five years and is expected to total $119.9 billion in 2023-24, when revenue falls by an estimated 3.6%.Exports are vital to the Agribusiness sector, and are expected to account for approximately one-third of revenue in 2023-24. Key export markets include China, the United States, Australia and Japan. In recent years, a depreciation in the New Zealand dollar has supported the sector's export competitiveness, with exports climbing as a share of sector revenue. New Zealand's reputation for producing high-quality agricultural products has helped generate strong demand from export markets, like China. Conversely, imports account for only a small share of domestic demand. Most imports come from Australia, the United States, Germany and China. However, the COVID-19 pandemic subdued global economic activity and disrupted global supply chains, weighing on international trade volumes over the past few years.The sector is poised to continue growing over the coming years. A relatively weak New Zealand dollar is set to support sector exports' price competitiveness in overseas markets, boosting revenue. Total sector profitability is also on track to grow over the coming years, driven by robust demand for high-value agricultural products, particularly from Asian export markets. Sector revenue is forecast to grow at an annualised 1.7% over the five years through 2028-29 to total $130.2 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • Dairy products contribute significantly to the Agribusiness sector. Rising milk production volumes and prices have supported sector revenue growth in recent years.
  • Agribusinesses produce various products across the agricultural supply chain and provide support services for primary producers. The scale of dairy, meat and wool production throughout the supply chain means that these segments dominate the sector.
  • The sector's geographic spread is heavily weighted towards livestock farming activity. Waikato is New Zealand's most prominent dairy cattle and beef cattle farming region.
  • Agribusiness firms primarily compete on price, particularly in the domestic market. For export-orientated agribusiness segments, like dairy, meat and fruit products, producing high-quality goods is another significant competitive factor.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $119.9bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

Subdued downstream demand and trade activity stemming from the pandemic has weighed on sector revenue

  • Agribusiness's diversity means the sector has exhibited low revenue volatility in recent years, despite individual agriculture industries' volatility. Nonetheless, some factors have affected the sector as a whole.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Agribusiness in New Zealand
Revenue (2013-2028)
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Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Sectorwide profitability is set to expand

  • Export demand will continue to grow over the coming years, supporting sectorwide profitability growth for years to come.

Biggest companies in the Agribusiness in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Fonterra Co-op Group
18,400.0
Silver Fern Farms
3,020.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Agribusiness in New Zealand
Products & Services
Alfabank-Adres Logo Source: Alfabank-Adres

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Dairy products, Meat and livestock products and Fruit and vegetables. Dairy products is the largest segment of the Agribusiness in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Climbing milk production and prices have expanded the dairy products segment

  • This segment includes revenue derived from dairy cattle farming; and liquid and powdered milk and cream, butter, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream production.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Agribusiness sector includes businesses that are directly engaged in, or benefit from, agricultural activities.

What's included in this industry?

Dairy productsMeat and livestock productsFruit and vegetablesFish and seafoodBakery productsShearing, cropping and agricultural support servicesAgricultural machinery manufacturing and wholesaling

Companies

Fonterra Co-op GroupSilver Fern Farms

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

FODDERSCOURINGFARMGATE PRICES

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Dairy products contribute significantly to the Agribusiness sector. Rising milk production volumes and prices have supported sector revenue growth in recent years.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Agribusinesses produce various products across the agricultural supply chain and provide support services for primary producers. The scale of dairy, meat and wool production ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The sector's geographic spread is heavily weighted towards livestock farming activity. Waikato is New Zealand's most prominent dairy cattle and beef cattle farming region.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Agribusiness firms primarily compete on price, particularly in the domestic market. For export-orientated agribusiness segments, like dairy, meat and fruit products, producin...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is the only company expected to account for over 5.0% of sector revenue in 2023-24. Fonterra produces most of New Zealand's milk and dairy...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of Fonterra Co-op Group's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Silver Fern Farms's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Fonterra Co-op Group, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Silver Fern Farms, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The sector is moderately regulated, and this trend has remained unchanged in recent years. The most common regulatory requirements across the sector relate to food safety, gi...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The sector includes many owner-operators that take income from profit. This trend inflates their profit margins and lowers wage expenses.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand in 2024?

The market size of the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand is $119.9bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Agribusiness in New Zealand industry in 2023?

There are 60,261 businesses in the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.0 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Agribusiness market in New Zealand?

The biggest companies operating in the Agribusiness market in New Zealand are Fonterra Co-op Group and Silver Fern Farms

What does the Agribusiness in New Zealand include?

Dairy products and Meat and livestock products are part of the Agribusiness industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Agribusiness in New Zealand?

The company holding the most market share in New Zealand is Fonterra Co-op Group.

How competitive is the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Agribusiness industry in New Zealand.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Dairy Cattle Farming in New Zealand
  • Meat Processing in New Zealand
  • Meat, Poultry and Smallgoods Wholesaling in New Zealand
  • Vegetable Growing in New Zealand
  • Beef Cattle Farming in New Zealand

International industries

  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting in the US
  • Agribusiness in Australia

View all industries in New Zealand

Methodology

How are Alfabank-Adres reports created?

Alfabank-Adres has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for Alfabank-Adres readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of Alfabank-Adres’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

Alfabank-Adres relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do Alfabank-Adres analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in New Zealand include:

  • Statistics New Zealand
  • New Zealand Company Register
  • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, Alfabank-Adres’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does Alfabank-Adres forecast its data?

Alfabank-Adres’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

Alfabank-Adres prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.