Biotechnology Research Roadmap - Science and Innovation

3 New Zealand context
Section summary
New Zealand has a predominantly biological economic base, with 65% of total goods exports coming from the
primary and food and beverage sectors.
New Zealand’s primary industries are facing challenges including the sustainable use of natural resources and
changing international market conditions.
The New Zealand biotechnology industry sector has largely evolved from this primary production base and a
heritage of 150 years of genetically enhancing crops and animals.
New Zealand’s biotechnology industry mix is very distinctive when contrasted with the composition of the
global industry which is overwhelmingly weighted towards the health biotechnology sector.
The biotechnology sector has grown and consolidated over the past five years, but is still immature with the
predominant use of biotechnology techniques being used in the R&D phase.
A number of New Zealand-based health biotechnology companies are maturing to the point where there are
drug targets in various stages of FDA-approved clinical trials.
Biotechnology research and industry development is a truly global endeavour and one of the critical
challenges for New Zealand is to remain well connected internationally.
As an island nation with a high level of endemic biodiversity, New Zealand is vulnerable to introduced pests.
New Zealanders hold a unique set of values which influence their views about emerging biotechnologies.
New Zealand has a continuing burden of disease within its population, in part unique to New Zealand, in part
common to other developed nations.
3.1 New Zealand’s economic base
Primary industries form the backbone of the New
Zealand economy, and this is likely to remain the case
over the coming decades. Exports from the primary
sector (agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fishing, food
and beverage, and manufactured products based on
primary sector products) make up about 65% of total
goods exported. 24 Primary industries contribute more
than 10% of our GDP, 25 but in fact their influence on
overall economic growth is much greater since other
industries (such as manufacturing) are often reliant
upon them.
New Zealand’s comparative advantages in landbased
primary production have been derived from
adaptability and the need to respond quickly to
changing conditions, including volatile markets and
the removal of domestic subsidies and protection.
Management requirements also differ from other
countries due to the climate, young soils and
relatively disease-free status. For this reason, overseas
technologies cannot simply be imported but need to
be adapted to New Zealand conditions. 26
24
Statistics New Zealand (June 2005), New Zealand External Trade Statistics
25
Statistic New Zealand (March 2005), National Accounts Year ended March 2005
26
Cameron, Linda (May 2006), Treasury Discussion Paper – Primary Sector Innovation
14 Roadmaps for Science : biotechnology research