More and more farm land is being turned into forestry.

An independent report commissioned by Beef + Lamb New Zealand has found more than 52-thousand hectares was bought by forestry interests in 2021.

That's a 36 percent increase on the previous two years.

Beef + Lamb Chief Executive, Sam McIvor, says over the past six years the country has lost 775-million dollars worth of export income.

He says that the Government needs to introduce limits and incentivise native planting.

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