KEY POINTS:
The rise of the South Island dairy industry is one of the big changes in New Zealand agriculture during the past quarter century highlighted in a report out today.
Figures from the 2006 Agricultural Production Survey show the national dairy herd now at 5.2 million.
Of that, 1.5 million, or 28 per cent are in the South Island, compared with the 1981 figure of 225,000, or 8 per cent.
The decline in sheep numbers is another key change in the industry.
At a peak in 1982, the country had 70.3 million sheep. The number last year was estimated at 40.1 million.
Sheep numbers have been fairly evenly divided between the North and South Islands during the past 25 years, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said.
In 1981, the North Island had 53 per cent of the national flock, while in 2006 the South Island had 51 per cent.
In contrast with the sharp fall in sheep numbers, the number of deer being farmed has increased strongly, from 109,000 in 1981 to 1.6 million last year.
Of those, 1.1 million, or 69 per cent, were in the South Island.
Beef cattle numbers had undergone the least change during the quarter century, SNZ said.
During the period the highest number recorded was 5.2 million in 1995. Last year there were 4.4 million, with South Island numbers having remained relatively stable but North Island numbers declining.
- NZPA
