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Sheep Farming in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Matthew Reeves Matthew Reeves Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: February 2024 ANZSIC A0141NZ

Revenue

$2.4bn

2024-25

$2.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

4,888

Businesses

4,840

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Sheep Farming in New Zealand industry analysis

The Sheep Farming industry's performance has been volatile. However, revenue has only slipped slightly. Farmgate prices for both lamb and mutton have risen, supporting local sheep farmers. However, sheep meat production has fallen, driven in part by a decrease in domestic sheep meat consumption. Both wool prices and production volumes have also fallen. Industry revenue is expected to decrease at an annualised 2.1% over the five years through 2023-24, to $2.4 billion. Revenue is anticipated to fall by 6.9% in 2023-24 alone, driven by shrinking sheep and wool sales, with wool prices also expected to decline.

Trends and Insights

  • Purchasing costs, wool prices and the pandemic have reduced industrywide profitability. Despite rising farmgate prices for lamb and mutton, profitability has dwindled, as purchases have increased as a share of revenue due to climbing domestic feed and fertiliser prices.
  • Wool sales to wholesalers and processors have declined in recent years. Most New Zealand wool is exported to China, which has faced significant manufacturing delays due to extended pandemic lockdowns.
  • The majority of New Zealand's sheep farms are located in the South Island. More than 60% of sheep farms are located in the Canterbury, Southland and Otago regions, as sheep farmers have increased access to farming land in these regions.
  • Sheep farmers compete with each other over the quality of their wool and meat. Wool is evaluated on a number of features like micron and strength, and meat is graded on its status as grass-fed or grain-fed.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $2.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Sheep farming can be highly volatile

  • Revenue for sheep farming is highly volatile, with various factors causing increases in one year and declines in the next. For example, strong rises in sheep prices caused industry revenue to grow over the three years through 2019-20.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Sheep Farming in New Zealand
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Sheep meat production is projected to rise slightly, partially due to rising export demand

  • Stronger demand is set to boost the domestic price of sheep meat, supporting revenue growth. As farmers increasingly switch to other agricultural commodities, wool production is forecast to fall slightly. However, a decrease in domestic wool production is likely to put upwards pressure on prices, supporting the industry.

Biggest companies in the Sheep Farming in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($short_0)
2024

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Sheep Farming in New Zealand industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Sheep Farming in New Zealand
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Lambs, Sheep and Wool. Lambs is the largest segment of the Sheep Farming in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Rising prices have bolstered revenue from lamb sales for sheep farmers

  • Lambs are sheep under 12 months of age. Lamb is the most popular sheep meat for consumption, both domestically and overseas. New Zealand is the second-largest exporter of lamb meat globally. The largest individual markets are China and the United States.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry operators primarily farm sheep for their meat and wool. Operators that farm both sheep and beef cattle are excluded from the industry.

What's included in this industry?

LambsSheepWool

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

DRONEVIRTUAL FENCESON THE HOOK SALES

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0141 - Sheep Farming in New Zealand

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Purchasing costs, wool prices and the pandemic have reduced industrywide profitability. Despite rising farmgate prices for lamb and mutton, profitability has dwindled, as pur...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Wool sales to wholesalers and processors have declined in recent years. Most New Zealand wool is exported to China, which has faced significant manufacturing delays due to ex...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The majority of New Zealand's sheep farms are located in the South Island. More than 60% of sheep farms are located in the Canterbury, Southland and Otago regions, as sheep f...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Sheep farmers compete with each other over the quality of their wool and meat. Wool is evaluated on a number of features like micron and strength, and meat is graded on its s...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There are no major players in the Sheep Farming industry. The industry is highly fragmented, with no individual farmer holding more than 5% market share, as the industry's pl...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    The Animal Welfare Act 1999 sets out a number of codes sheep farmers must abide by. These relate to food, water, shelter and transport standards and training requirements.

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Profit has declined as a share of revenue over the past few years. Wool prices have plummeted and input costs have risen sharply.

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand in 2024?

    The market size of the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand is $2.4bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Sheep Farming in New Zealand industry in 2024?

    There are 4,840 businesses in the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

    What does the Sheep Farming in New Zealand include?

    Lambs and Sheep are part of the Sheep Farming industry.

    How competitive is the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand?

    The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Sheep Farming industry in New Zealand.

    Related Industries

    Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

    Competitors

    • There are no industries to display.

    Complementors

    • There are no industries to display.

    International industries

    • Sheep Farming in the US
    • Sheep Farming in Australia
    • Grain-Sheep or Grain-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia
    • Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia
    • Sheep Farming in the UK

    View all industries in New Zealand

    Methodology

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    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in New Zealand include:

    • Statistics New Zealand
    • New Zealand Company Register
    • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

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    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

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