A summary of the financial position of Canterbury farms mid-1987

Abstract

This discussion paper presents the results of an investigation of the financial position of Canterbury farmers. The information was gathered from discussions with a wide range of organisations involved in the sector rather than directly from farmers. It is therefore possible that the results, while presenting an accurate recording of the information gathered, may not provide a completely adequate view of the total Canterbury farming situation. This is because the farms included in the sources from which the data was gathered may not be entirely representative of all Canterbury farming. While no attempt was made to statistically confirm the representativeness of the information gathered, it is considered by those responsible for the data that the material presented here provides a useful insight into the financial position of Canterbury farmers.