A report by regional economist Benje Patterson aims to highlight the contribution of Timaru and South Canterbury’s primary sector exports, and was commissioned by economic development agency Venture Timaru.
The full report on food and fibre exports from Timaru and South Canterbury is available for download here.
The report comes just over a month after a Stuff survey deemed Timaru the best regional district, without a metropolitan centre, to live.
The key findings of the report show food and fibre exports from the region totalled $3.9 billion in 2022, accounting for 7.3% of New Zealand’s food and fibre exports that year.
“Given that South Canterbury accounts for just 1.2% of New Zealand’s population, the region punches above its weight in terms of its contribution to New Zealand’s total food and fibre exports,” Patterson says.
Key findings of the report include:
- The food and fibre sector captures not just the value derived from primary production within agriculture, forestry, and fishing, but very importantly also includes the value chain created by the processing of these outputs into food or fibre products suitable for wholesaling or distribution to the final consumer.
- Food and fibre exports from South Canterbury totalled $3.9 billion in 2022.
- These exports represented 7.3% of New Zealand’s food and fibre exports.
- Given that South Canterbury accounts for just 1.2% of New Zealand’s population, the region punches above its weight in terms of its contribution to New Zealand’s total food and fibre exports.
- Food and fibre exports have grown rapidly. Over the five years to 2022, the value of food and fibre exports from South Canterbury climbed 82% from an estimated $2.1 billion in 2017 to $3.9 billion in 2022.
- It is conservatively estimated that heavy vehicle movements on South Canterbury’s state highways contribute $35 million to the government’s road user charge (RUC) revenue.
The full report is available for download here.