New Zealand grain and feed imports rise to 2.9 mln tons

Imports of palm kernel, soybean meal, wheat, corn and barley into New Zealand increased from 1.8 mln tonnes in 2010 to 2.9 mln tons in 2025. Imports now account for about 60% of the country’s grain and feed requirements, while domestic grain production has remained largely unchanged.

According to Farmers Weekly, former New Zealand trade envoy and Mid Canterbury farmer Hamish Marr highlighted these trends at a forum organised by the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science. He said local producers struggle to compete with imported products on price and production scale.

New Zealand’s domestic grain production stood at about 900 thsd tons in 2010, compared with approximately 1 mln tons in 2025. Meanwhile, farm costs are rising, with input cost inflation reaching a five-year high.

Logistics costs are another challenge. Shipping grain across Cook Strait between the South and North islands costs $110–130/t. Marr said it can sometimes be cheaper to ship grain from Australia to New Zealand than to transport it between the country’s two main islands.

Marr believes New Zealand grain growers should compete on provenance and added value rather than price. He identified the development of NZ Grown Grains certification and infrastructure support as potential priorities. However, he said subsidies and import restrictions are not the right solution. Further growth in dairy farming and additional land conversions in Canterbury could increase domestic grain demand.

Tags: barley, wheat, soybean meal, imports, New Zealand, compound feed, corn, grain