44667 (2024). Rachel Boyack to the Associate Minister of Agriculture

44667 (2024). Rachel Boyack to the Associate Minister of Agriculture: What advice, if any, has he received on the economic value, or lack thereof, of exporting live animals to other countries?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: I have been advised that, in 2022, the direct economic benefit of the livestock export by sea trade was valued at $374 million. However, the direct economic value of live animal exports fluctuates depending on demand in destination countries, and New Zealand’s access to those markets. In addition to the direct economic benefits, there are additional second order economic benefits of exporting live animals, including demand for pre-export isolation facilities, laboratory testing, pedigree reporting, verification services, animal transport, and veterinary services. These services are often provided by rural communities and are important for the rural economy. For some individual businesses the contribution of live export to their business is significant, as they provide several services required for the pre-export process. As part of the livestock export review, I have requested officials at the Ministry for Primary Industries to provide a detailed cost benefit analysis on the direct and indirect benefits of exporting livestock by sea to support the Government’s decision-making process.