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Viewing cable 08WELLINGTON115, NO TURNING BACK THE SUBSIDY CLOCK FOR NEW ZEALAND FARMERS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08WELLINGTON115 2008-03-30 18:58 2011-04-28 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Wellington
VZCZCXRO8448
RR RUEHAG RUEHCHI RUEHDF RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHKSO RUEHLZ RUEHNAG
RUEHPB RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHWL #0115/01 0901858
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301858Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5167
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1647
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0657
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0218
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0383
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000115 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, EEB/TPP/ABT, STATE PASS TO FAS KHALIKA MEARDY 
OCRA, PAUL KIENDL  OGA, JIM DEVER OFSO, COMMERCE FORITA/MAC/AP/OSAO, 
PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQSTATE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON EFIN ETRD PREL NZ XV
SUBJECT: NO TURNING BACK THE SUBSIDY CLOCK FOR NEW ZEALAND FARMERS 
 
WELLINGTON 00000115  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. Note:  This is a joint Foreign Agricultural Service and 
State report.  End note. 
 
 2. (SBU) Summary.  Up until approximately twenty years ago, New 
Zealand farmers were some of the most heavily subsidized in the 
world.  Farmers were provided with price supports, low-interest 
loans, extensive disaster relief, weed-eradication subsidies and 
special training programs.  However, as the level of farm support 
grew, it became an increasingly impossible financial burden for the 
country to bear and agricultural subsidies, which represented as 
much as 33% of farm income, were eliminated in 1984.  Although the 
transition to an unsubsidized farm economy wasn't easy, agriculture 
has maintained its crucial place in the New Zealand economy 
accounting for approximately 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 
over 55% of merchandise exports.  The acceptance of subsidy-free 
agriculture is now firmly entrenched in New Zealand's psyche, a view 
supported by the country's largest farm lobby.  There is no call by 
New Zealand farmers to turn the clock back. End summary. 
 
Agricultural Deregulation Pays Off 
---------------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) By most accounts, New Zealand's experimentation with 
agricultural deregulation is a major success story.  The percentage 
of the GDP accounted for by agriculture is holding its own at 5%. 
Farm productivity is increasing annually by 3.4%, on average, 
compared with 0.5% in subsidy days.  Land values are soaring. 
Agricultural exports are strong accounting for over 55% of 
merchandise exports.  New Zealand, which exports most of what is 
produces, is the world's largest exporter of dairy products, sheep 
meat, venison and kiwifruit and the second largest exporter of 
wool. 
 
Rural Economy Changed as a Result 
--------------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) Deregulation altered the landscape of New Zealand 
agriculture with dairy, rather than sheep and beef, emerging as the 
largest sub sector making up approximately one third of the 
country's commodity exports.  Fonterra, the largest dairy 
cooperative in New Zealand with a 95% share of the domestic 
production, has a 40% share of world trade in dairy products.  In 
response to high international dairy prices, Fonterra hiked its 
domestic payout to dairy farmers to a record NZ $6.90 (US $5.31) per 
kilogram of milk solids.  This represents a 58.6% jump from last 
year and equals an estimated NZ $3 billion (US $2.4 billion) 
increase in dairy farmer revenues (although costs have also gone 
up).  Over the next few years, New Zealand dairy production is 
expected to increase faster than in previous years as more land is 
being converted to dairying, especially in the Southland and 
Canterbury regions of the South Island.   Along with dairy, 
horticultural production has also increased in importance with 
horticultural exports, including wine, expanding by a factor of 10 
since 1984.  Wine is a particular standout.  The total area planted 
in wine grapes increased to 29,680 hectares in 2007, up 23% since 
2005.  Wine exports are expected to overtake kiwifruit exports, on a 
value basis, in 2008. 
 
Yet Some Sectors Falling on Harder Times 
---------------------------------------- 
5. (SBU) While wine exports are breaking records and dairy farms are 
selling at record prices (median price per hectare is NZ $37,000 or 
US $29,600), sheep producers have fallen on hard times.  With poor 
returns, increasing on-farm costs (shearing and fertilizer), high 
capital costs (land), and an over supply of sheep meat on world 
markets, there is a strong negative sentiment among farmers about 
the future profitability of sheep.  The problems besetting sheep 
farmers have been amplified by drought conditions over much of the 
country.  Some farmers on the east coast of the North Island and 
parts of the South Island are now in their second summer of drought 
and water shortages are taking their toll.  A report from the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry found the drought's cost was NZ 
$345 million (US $276 million) for sheep and beef farmers - or NZ 
$25,200 (US $20,160) for the average sheep and beef farm.  Real farm 
profit for sheep and beef farmers has dropped significantly from NZ 
$66,800 (US $53,440) in 2003-04 to NZ $38,700 (US $30,960) in 
 
WELLINGTON 00000115  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
2006-07 and is forecast by Meat and Wool New Zealand, an industry 
organization, to fall to NZ $19,543 (US $15,634) in 2007-08, 
assuming the New Zealand dollar stays in the US $0.80 range.  The 
exchange rate is a big factor impacting on all New Zealand farmers. 
For sheep farmers, the record high New Zealand dollar is wiping out 
the benefits from better market prices.  Wool market prices from 
July 2007 to December 2007 were up 3.7% and lamb prices were up 8% 
but the exchange rate appreciated 7.9%.  Market prices for beef in 
North America, New Zealand's largest market, are reportedly at near 
historical highs but, when converted to New Zealand dollars, prices 
are down 10%.  According to industry analysts, if the exchange rate 
stays at its current high level, this would make for the third worst 
year for the sheep and beef industry in 50 years, which is in stark 
contrast to the dairy industry. 
Farmers Not Calling for Return to Old Ways 
------------------------------------------ 
 
6. (SBU) In spite of the difficult times facing sheep producers in 
New Zealand, farmers are not calling for a return to subsidies. 
Instead, many see a fragmented meat marketing structure as a big 
part of the problem.  Alliance, one of two major meat processing 
cooperatives, has proposed a merger with other processors and is 
currently soliciting farmer reaction to the idea.  The mega meat 
company would have an 80% share of New Zealand's livestock supply 
and would require approval from the New Zealand Government. 
 
7. (SBU)  Over the last two decades, the New Zealand agricultural 
economy has gone from being one of the most heavily subsidized in 
the world to having by far the lowest level of producer support in 
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.  In spite 
of drought conditions and poor returns, a mindset characterized by 
hardy independence is now deeply ingrained in New Zealand farmers. 
Most farmers would not want to return to subsidies because, in their 
view, it would put New Zealand agriculture at a competitive 
disadvantage by blocking market signals, increasing inefficient 
production and discouraging innovation. 
 
Farm Lobby neither Wants nor Expects Govt Helping Hand 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
8. (SBU) The resilient independence of the NZ farmer was upheld by 
Annabel Young, Chief Executive of Federated Farmers, New Zealand's 
largest and most influential farming lobby.  In a conversation with 
Post, Young said that her organization has not sought any rural 
assistance package from the Government in this year's budget, nor 
does she expect any.  Young noted that the Government is extremely 
reticent about rendering assistance to farmers.  Even in the event 
of natural disasters, Young said that any specific government 
assistance for affected rural areas is usually limited to the 
restoration of vital infrastructure.  Consequential loss of income 
and insurable assets are not covered by the Government.  Farmers are 
able to receive work and income assistance ("welfare") payments in 
the case of hardship, but this is no different from any other 
welfare recipient in New Zealand. 
 
McCormick