Tourism set to out-earn farming

Ageing dairy farmers are quitting the industry in droves as tourism edges out agriculture as Northland's biggest earner.

Figures from the Tourism Research Council show that pastoral agriculture - worth about $850 million annually - will lose its place as Northland's top income-earner by the end of the decade.

In 2010, tourism will be earning more than $1 billion a year and providing up to 6000 jobs.

Northland Federated Farmers spokesman Bill Guest said some Northland farmers were already cashing in on the tourism boom and he expected more would do so in coming years.

Ten years ago there were about 1900 dairy units in Northland, but that now stood at around 1250, he said.

Some farms had been subdivided into lifestyle blocks, while other farmers had gone into the homestay business.

Hugh and Pauline Rose, who farm nearly 100ha at Tangowahine, 13km northeast of Dargaville, have recently installed accommodation on their farm with room for nine tourists.

"What we are creating is an environment where tourists come and see a working farm in action," said Pauline Rose.

"A third of the farm is also in native bush and people can walk through that and get the total experience."

Mr Guest said similar ventures would follow.

"In Northland, the average age of dairy farmers is between 58 and 59 and over the next five years many of them will be getting to the retirement stage," he said.

"In the old days, farmers used to sell their farms to their kids and move into town, but they are finding it's costing a fortune to move to town, so now they are cashing in."


- NZPA