7 Nov 2013

Farmer confidence soaring - survey

9:45 am on 7 November 2013

Optimism among New Zealand farmers has risen to its highest level in five years, according to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey.

Rabobank says strong dairy prices and an improving outlook in the red meat sector have influenced farmers' rosier outlook.

Some 54% of the farmers surveyed expect conditions to get better over the next 12 months, and 57% expect their own businesses to improve as well.