Govt sees $44b export potential
The Government plans to increase primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade with a goal of getting 10,000 more New Zealanders working in the sector over the next four years.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday released ‘‘Fit for a Better World Roadmap – Accelerating our Economic Potential’’, a 10-year plan to unlock greater value from New Zealand’s primary sector.
The plan sets a target of lifting primary sector export earnings to $10b a year by 2030 which would bring in a cumulative $44b more in earnings in a decade. If successful, the plan would almost double the current value of the primary sector.
In 2019 the sector accounted for $46.4b of New Zealand’s $58.3b of total exports to June.
Ardern said that was forecast to increase by a further $1.6b in 2020.
‘‘Farmers, growers, fishers and processors kept people fed and in jobs during our Covid-19 response and will continue to play a huge part in driving our economic recovery,’’ she said.
Ardern launched the plan at an urban farm at Mount Albert Grammar School in her Auckland electorate of Mount Albert.
Alongside her were Agriculture Minister Damien O’connor, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash, Primary Sector Council chairman Lain Jager and industry leaders.
The 17-page plan says the primary sector would be more important than ever, with other big export sectors such as tourism and education hamstrung by Covid-19.
There was a chance to rebuild better, in partnership with Ma¯ori and industry, it said. ‘‘The food and
fibres sector will be at the forefront of our export-led recovery.’’
Agriculture Minister Damien O’connor said the plan was a ‘‘direction based on a vision’’ that would help increase productivity.
However, the sector could not continue to rely on volume growth to generate greater returns, he said.
New Zealand needed to create new billion-dollar, category-leading products and services while respecting the environment, he said.
The Government would begin working with the sector to roll out the plan in the coming months, he said.