Nelson is a dificult farming district with only one-third farmable, inherently poor soils, and fragmented farming areas. Dairying predominates in the wetter northern and southern parts, with sheep and cattle on the hills, and wide enterprise diversity on the eastern coastal plains. There is scope to increase production from existing pastures, but little new land development is expected apart from Golden Ray pakihi. Expansion of production will not be rapid, influenced as it is by land use competition from forestry and by individual farm physical and financial limitations.