NZ Herald reporter Tom Raynel gives us his take on Fieldays after his first visit to the iconic agricultural show
Fieldays retailers and vendors say they are benefiting from high milk and red meat prices, as farmers have come to the event in droves looking to get a bargain.
The four-day event has been popular for decades, but the sentiment throughout the community is high on the back of well-performingexports giving farmers more in their back pockets.
On top of that, the Government’s Investment Boost tax incentive announced at the Budget means businesses can claim back 20% of the cost of a new capital expense.
Dave Knowles, sales manager at tractor retailer New Holland, said that while the weather had been a challenge this year, there had certainly been a big crowd.
“We’ve signed up a number of tractors which is great. There’s been a few incentives, of course the Government’s 20% depreciation has sparked a lot of discussion actually so we’ve got quite a full order book and [we’re] looking forward to delivering them.”
Knowles said some of those at Fieldays didn’t quite understand how the policy worked, but many do understand the books and how their business works.
“I think it’s been a good catalyst, the timing is excellent. Farming has been through a lull for the last couple of years but things seem to be thawing out and we are on the way up.”
Dave Knowles, sales manager at New Holland, said the sentiment of buyers was optimistic, especially compared with the past few years.
Brandt Group’s vice-president of operations, Stuart Drew, echoed the sentiment and said there were plenty of discussions going on.
“Plenty of leads to follow up on, and overall we are pretty positive,” Drew said.
On the Investment Boost scheme, Drew said it had been largely well-received.
“We have benefited from that already, but there’s opportunity for everyone else to benefit from it going forward.”
Stihl’s marketing manager for New Zealand, Stace Hall, said everyone had been pretty upbeat despite the “rubbish” weather and there had been a lot of people willing to buy new tools.
He said that while he hadn’t heard mention of the Investment Boost policy specifically, people had certainly been more happy to reach into their wallets.
“You know it’s a farming, rural event first and foremost, and they’ve had a reasonable year with the milk payout, but that might have been impacting their willingness to buy,” Hall said.
“I’m not sure if they’ve got enough money to be buying tractors and things, but certainly consumer durables to look after their properties.”
A Tesla Cybertruck caught plenty of eyes at Fieldays 2025 as visitors queued up for a chance to check out the inside.
Meanwhile, in the vehicle stalls, Tesla made its first appearance at Fieldays, showing off its Cybertruck to plenty of interest from the local crowd.
Customers inside its marquee also showed interest in its Powerwall battery storage solution.
A Tesla spokesperson said, “We’re pleased with the interest we’re experiencing at Fieldays, as you can see by how busy the display is.”
Over at the BYD tent, NZ manager Warren Willmot said it’s been “absolutely pumping”.
“We’ve been coming to Fieldays for three years, but this is the first year that we’ve had a product for the rural community with our Shark 6 Hybrid Ute. The feedback’s been phenomenal, we’re selling dozens of trucks,” Willmot said.
“People are really trying to get their head around the fact that it’s 430 horsepower and it can tow the boat and the fuel savings are incredible.”
As for how they are converting farmers over to the electric side, Willmot said it’s all about showing them active savings in terms of fuel economy.
He said that because BYD’s largest customer base was in business and corporate, the extra tax incentive was a huge benefit.
Fonterra’s managing director of co-operative affairs, Matt Bolger, said that while the milk price had been great recently, the past few years had been quite tough.
“There’s a big interest rate bill, cost of imports went up, so it hasn’t been easy. The last year or so, farmers have been paying down debt and getting the balance sheet in order, that’s really positive,” Bolger said.
“I think a few this year are probably starting to invest in farm improvements, which is great, so there’s a good amount of confidence out there.
“But that said, we’ve put out a $10 forecast for next year, but it’s still pretty complex out there in the world, so we always have that note of caution this early.”
Bolger explained that it’s a “pretty complicated” geopolitical world at the moment, but markets, including Fonterra’s largest in China, are still performing well.
“When you look at the farming sector and the export sector, trade is really important to us, and I think in the modern world, trade is very much linked to sustainability.
“Fonterra’s farmers have invested a huge amount into that in the last few years and done a lot of hard, physical work on that around the country. So I think things are heading in a good direction definitely.”
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
