The New Zealand economy has been built on farming. Much of the country is dedicated to the agricultural sector and you don’t have to travel far from the city to find a farm. It is a great sector to get into, and many people are leaving the cities and returning to the simplicity of rural life – either by moving to a small town in the country or buying a lifestyle block or farm.

Farming occurs throughout New Zealand, with the main livestock farms featuring dairying, beef and sheep. Many people also farm pigs, deer, chickens, goats and some of the more unusual breeds such as alpacas and ostriches. In the North Island, the regions of Waikato, Taranaki and Manawatu are the main farming regions. The main South Island farming regions include Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

Over the last decade, dairy farming and forestry have expanded and this trend is expected to continue. Many farmers have converted their dry stock farmland to dairy farms, which has led to a decrease in the amount of land used for grazing and changes in the intensity of land use. The Waikato region has the largest number of dairy cattle, with the regions of Taranaki, Canterbury, Manawatu, Northland and Southland also being popular dairying regions.

Manawatu, Waikato, Hawkes Bay and Northland are still popular beef farming regions in the North Island. Beef farming is also important in the South Island’s Canterbury region, but sheep farming plays a much bigger role. Canterbury has the largest number of sheep in the country, with Manawatu, Otago, Southland and Hawkes Bay also being important sheep areas.

If you are looking for a farm for sale in New Zealand, your decision will depend on the type of farming you wish to pursue as well as the type of lifestyle you want to live. Each region has its own weather patterns, geographical features, proximity to major towns and cities and access to education and leisure activities.

Northland is mainly sunnier and drier than the rest of New Zealand and some of the farming areas are quite remote. Regions such as Hawkes Bay on the east coast of the North Island can have summers that are very hot and dry. The Waikato and Manawatu regions are more likely to have a variety of weather, ranging from hot and sunny to cold and wet. Farming regions in the South Island also differ – depending on whether they are in the north of the South Island where there is a lot of sun or whether they are in the south where the weather is much colder.

Your decision about buying a farm for sale in New Zealand will be based on a number of important factors, with all the regions having their benefits and downsides.