Fields of gold

As the high dollar began to bite late last year he, like many in the rural sector, was prepared for the economic fallout.

Six months later he is still waiting.

"The downturn hasn't happened and I don't think it will happen," he says.

"Commodity prices have ups and downs but we've had strong demand for five years now. It's still strong. We've got more buyers than sellers."

Symonds - who is based at Te Kuiti and specialises in large sheep and cattle farms - is convinced that this long boom is sustainable.

"Buying a farm is not about a short-term investment. Most of the people I deal with are in for the long haul," he says. "There is long-term confidence."

It's not hard to find experts to back up Symonds' gut feeling.

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