Beef and burgundy pays

Farmers have a world of opportunities open to them if they are prepared to diversify, says Canterbury beef and wine producer Brent Rawstron.

The former Meat Board member also runs a restaurant as part of his farming business.

Mr Rawstron said he had found a market in Germany where he could make money exporting his beef, but had also seen the need to diversify into grapes on his 140ha farm.

This led to the establishment of a restaurant with a "beef and burgundy" theme.

Diversification had lifted profits by 415 per cent a hectare, he said.

"The top 10 per cent of sheepfarmers are returning a gross profit per hectare greater than the gross income per hectare of the bottom 25 per cent.

"The world is New Zealand's oyster; we just have to prove it."

- NZPA