New Zealanders, long the butt of sheep jokes, are giving up mutton and wool production for the lucrative pursuit of wine, milk and avocados, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) reported on Friday.
The national sheep flock plunged to 39,2-million last year, down 21% since 1994.
With a human population of nearly four million, that is now 10 sheep to every person, down from the 22 sheep per head in 1982 when farmers were paid by the government to increase their flock.
Also down is the national beef cattle herd, down 11% to 4,5-million animals.
Dairy cattle numbers though have jumped 39% to 5,3-million on the back of a world demand for milk-based products. New Zealand wine has become lucrative and SNZ said the national vineyard increased 37% in the two years to June last year,
and grapes now cover 17 400 hectares.
The area in avocados has more than doubled from 1994 to 2002 with 3 100 hectares in production. What used to be known as Chinese gooseberries because of their origin, but now relabelled kiwifruit, have ended their boom years
and the 12 200 hectares is unchanged on that in 1994.
SNZ said the census revealed a 14% increase in the area sown in wheat and a similar rise in potato growing. Joining sheep on the downward were barley growing areas, down one percent, onions down 21% and apples down 24%.
Making a first appearance at the national farm gate were olives, now grown on 2 600 hectares. – Sapa-AFP