Mining, Dairying, Tourism and Agriculture drive the West coast economy. Dairying is now a big earner with 124,000 dairy cows in the West Coast Region, and there is strong potential in horticulture. Mining forecasts predict the industry will double in size within five years, and wages for this sector are already second highest in the country. Tourism has gone from strength to strength, its flow-on effect on the local economy is enormous.
The West Coast Economic Development Strategy predicts the leading employment growth industries through to 2010 will be, in order; tourism, mining, business services, infrastructure services, socio/community services, processing, manufacturing and dairying.
Table 4.1 summarises the key commercial indicators for the region
| Commercial | Latest | Previous | West Coast % Change |
New Zealand % Change |
| Total Dairy Cows (thousand) | 127.6 | 123.9 | 3.01% | 2.21% |
| Milk Supplied (million litres) | 467.0 | 464.0 | 0.65% | 2.94% |
| Average Payout (cents/kg milksolids) | 466.0 | 415.0 | 12.29% | 5.65% |
| Coal Production (million tonnes) | 3.0 | 2.7 | 12.95% | 9.51% |
| Gold Production (tonnes) | 0.5 | 0.2 | 169.70% | 0.18% |
All these indicators are positive for the latest year, with all indicators other than milk production outperforming national growth.
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Development West Coast1st Floor, 112 Mackay Street, P O Box 451 , Greymouth , New Zealand
Phone: 03 768 0140
Fax: 03 768 0150 Email: info@dwc.org.nz