Primary-sector export revenue increased 1.3% in the year ended June to $32,119 million, driven by favourable weather conditionsClimate conditions for pasture growth for the year ended June were the best since 2002, with 51.4 days of soil moisture deficit compared with the 30-year average of 61.6. That resulted in record milk solids per cow and carcass weights for lamb and beef. Conditions were also favourable for forest harvesting in the June quarter.
The Ministry of Primary Industries has released its final quarterly report for the year to June, showing export revenue declined 5.8% in the June quarter, compared with the corresponding period last year, to $8.7 billion.
Export revenues for main meat products were down in the June quarter, mostly because of lower export prices from weaker international demand and a build-up in stocks in New Zealand, particularly for lamb.
Lamb production was up 5.9% in the year ended June, while total meat export revenue was down 14.4% to $1.6 billion.
Lower dairy prices offset increased export volumes, resulting in a 5.6% decline in dairy export revenue to $3.3 billion in the June quarter. For the 2011-12 season (year ended June), production of milk solids increased 11.4% to 1,685,000 tonnes.
Horticultural exports declined 1% to $1.2 billion in the June quarter, while an increase in exports of kiwifruit and wine was more than offset by declines in pipfruit, other fresh and processed fruit and vegetable exports. Horticulture revenue for the year ended June was up 5.3% on the previous year.
Export revenue for total fisheries was down 4.2% to $399 million in the June quarter, mainly due to lower export volumes for most seafood categories.
Forest product export revenue declined 5.7% to $1.1 billion in the June quarter, largely due to the impact of lower prices of logs and sawn timber exceeding the impact of increased export volumes.
Favourable weather and the recovery of wind-thrown logs from summer storms in the North Island encouraged a record quarterly high of 7.4 million cu m for roundwood removals.
More efficient use of energy by primary-sector businesses was "great news" for both the economy and environment, Green Party energy spokesman Gareth Hughes said yesterday.
The New Zealand Energy Use Survey: Primary Sector, released by Statistics New Zealand, showed growth in the primary sector had been coupled with energy efficiencies.
Overall energy use by the sector was almost 35,000 terajoules in 2011, and one-third of businesses had energy-saving technologies.
Total energy use in the sector remained steady in the last three years.
