New research confirms the red meat sector is an economic powerhouse for New Zealand, making a vital contribution to jobs, communities and the wider economy well beyond the farm gate.
New Zealand’s red meat sector generates $48.7 billion in spending across the economy each year and supports one in every 20 jobs. The sector generates $12.8 billion in export earnings annually, which flows through our economy and has a powerful multiplier effect that sees $133 million a day being spent across New Zealand.
Commissioned by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and the Meat Industry Association (MIA), the research is the first full measure of the sector’s economic and social contribution since 2020.
The BERL study found the sector contributes $17.5 billion a year to New Zealand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports 120,580 full-time equivalent jobs across the country.
More than half of that contribution happens beyond farm-gates and processing plants, flowing through supply chains, local services and household spending, particularly in rural and regional New Zealand.
The study says that Māori and Pacific people form an important part of the sector’s workforce. Of the 42,000 individuals directly employed in New Zealand’s red meat sector, 25 percent (10,578) are Māori and 11 percent (4,788) are Pacific people.
It also takes a dive into the red meat sector’s contribution to three regional economies:
- Taranaki–Manawatū: 8 percent of regional GDP and 11 percent of total employment.
- Canterbury: 5 percent of regional GDP and 6 percent of total employment.
- Otago–Southland: 11 percent of regional GDP and 12 percent of total employment.
Downloads
- Full report (PDF, 1MB)
- Two-page summary (PDF, 1.9KB)