On-farm inflation highest since 1980s (New Zealand)

Rocketing fuel and fertiliser prices look set to drive up farm expenses again for meat and wool farmers.

Farmers took a hit in the 2007-08 year, ending March, with farm costs up almost 10 per cent from the previous season, according to Meat & Wool New Zealand.

This was the highest rise in farm costs in a year since the bad old farming days of deregulation, when farm subsidies were removed in the 1980s.