Yes, NZ still has more sheep than people. But humans are catching up

The immense number of sheep successful New Zealand comparative to nan country's scant quality organization has agelong been nan taxable of jokes aimed astatine New Zealanders abroad. It's true: The state is 1 of a fistful successful nan world that's still location to much sheep than people.

But humans are catching up, according to caller figures released Tuesday. With a population of 23.6 cardinal sheep and 5.3 cardinal people, location are astir 4.5 sheep for each New Zealander, authorities statistic agency information showed.

That's down from 22 sheep per personification successful 1982, erstwhile farming sheep for nutrient and wool was New Zealand's biggest earner. Now, years of falling wool prices prompted by a world displacement to synthetic fibres person led farmers to alteration what they do pinch their land, nan sector's biggest lobby group said.

By onshore area, New Zealand is astir nan size of nan United Kingdom, but it has a quality organization 13 times smaller than nan UK. That intends there's plentifulness of room for sheep.

For adjacent to 150 years, nan sheep manufacture was nan backbone of New Zealand's system and numbers boomed — peaking successful 1982 erstwhile location were much than 70 cardinal sheep and conscionable 3.2 cardinal people.

Before Lord of nan Rings brought waves of visitors to nan country, images of greenish fields filled pinch placid sheep against backdrops of snow-capped mountains dominated nan country's trading abroad.

But complete years of diminution for world wool prices since — and contempt caller rallies — nan nationalist flock has steadily diminished.

Now dairy holds nan biggest stock of New Zealand's agriculture and horticulture-dominant export market.

Farmers effort thing new

In 2023, Stats NZ, a authorities agency, said New Zealand successful 2022 dipped beneath 5 sheep per personification for nan first time.

The nationalist flock had mislaid a cardinal much sheep successful Tuesday's figures, which recorded livestock numbers arsenic of June 2024.

Toby Williams, a spokesperson for assemblage lobby group Federated Farmers, said sheep farmers person switched to much lucrative pursuits — dairy, aliases nan conversion of onshore from farming to conifer forestry successful bid to waste c offsets.

"If I'm really honest, nan wool manufacture is almost astatine that tipping point, if not already there, of not having a wool manufacture anymore," he said.

The authorities has drawn up measures intended to slow nan decline, including an announcement successful 2024 that they will spot limits connected nan standard of farmland that tin beryllium converted to c forestry.

New authorities procurement guidelines launched successful April impulse nan usage of New Zealand wool products — specified arsenic carpets and insulation — successful recently constructed aliases refurbished nationalist buildings. But those measures are not expected to halt declining sheep numbers.

Australia — nan root of astir of nan sheep jokes astir New Zealanders — is besides location to much sheep than people, but nan nationalist flock is shrinking too.

The spread is slimmer: There are astir 3 sheep per Australian.

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