Pig Farming In A Trough
NEW ZEALAND - The extent of the decline in pig farming is revealed in the latest livestock figures from Statistics New Zealand.Final statistics from last year's agricultural production survey show the country's farmed pig population fell by 12 percent in a year to 341,000.
The decline is even more marked in the North Island, where pig numbers fell by 23 percent between 2004 and last year.
Competition from record pork imports and outbreaks of the pig disease PMWS in the North Island have contributed to the reduction.
More than half of the pig population is now in Canterbury.
Farmed deer numbers also fell by 3 percent during that period.
Dairy and beef cattle numbers were stable.
4 April 2006
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