Organisors and exhibitors at last week's South Island Agricultural Field days are feeling that the rural economy in the south is in reasonably good heart, despite the battering some farmers have taken from spring storms and earthquakes.
About 21,000 people attended the three-day event - about the same as the previous one two years ago.
But organising committee chair Hamish Maginness says exhibitors made more sales than in 2009.
He says 60% of Christchurch's GDP comes from the rural sector, so the Field days was a real boost for the city and for Canterbury.
Meanwhile, visitor numbers have finally been tallied at the Central Districts Field Days held in Feilding last month.
More than 36,500 people visited the three day event, up by more than 1600 on the previous year's show.
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