List of cities and towns in the South Island by population
Towns -- Population 10,000 and over
Table:
Urban Area
Population
Region
Territorial Authority

Ashburton
20,800
Canterbury
Ashburton District

Blenheim
30,500
Marlborough
Marlborough District

Kaiapoi
13,600
Canterbury
Waimakariri District

Mosgiel
14,800
Otago
Dunedin City

Oamaru
14,000
Otago
Waitaki District

Queenstown
29,000
Otago
Queenstown Lakes District

Rangiora
19,600
Canterbury
Waimakariri District

Richmond
19,200
Tasman
Tasman District

Rolleston
29,600
Canterbury
Selwyn District

Timaru†
28,900
Canterbury
Timaru District

With reference to the table together with the background passages below.

Provide an answer to this question: What agricultural product is produced around the town of South Island with 26,400 residents ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Ashburton ( Māori : Hakatere ) is a large town in the Canterbury Region , on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand . The town is the seat of the Ashburton District , a territorial authority encompassing the town and a number of small settlements within its surrounding rural area , roughly coterminous with the subregion of Mid Canterbury . It is 85 kilometres ( 53 mi ) south west of Christchurch and is sometimes regarded as a satellite town of Christchurch . Ashburton township has a population of 20,200 , with an additional 12,400 living in the wider district . The town is the 23rd largest urban area in New Zealand and the third-largest urban area in the Canterbury Region , after Christchurch and Timaru .
Canterbury ( Māori : Waitaha ) is a region of New Zealand , located in the central-eastern South Island . The region covers an area of 44,508 square kilometres ( 17,185 sq mi ) , and is home to a population of 617,700 ( June 2018 ) . The region in its current form was established in 1989 during nationwide local government reforms . The Kaikoura District joined the region in 1992 following the abolition of the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council . Christchurch , the South Island 's largest city and the country 's third-largest urban area , is the seat of the region and home to 65 percent of the region 's population . Other major towns and cities include Timaru , Ashburton , Rangiora and Rolleston .
Ashburton ( Māori : Hakatere ) is a large town in the Canterbury Region , on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand . The town is the seat of the Ashburton District , a territorial authority encompassing the town and a number of small settlements within its surrounding rural area , roughly coterminous with the subregion of Mid Canterbury . It is 85 kilometres ( 53 mi ) south west of Christchurch and is sometimes regarded as a satellite town of Christchurch . Ashburton township has a population of 20,200 , with an additional 12,400 living in the wider district . The town is the 23rd largest urban area in New Zealand and the third-largest urban area in the Canterbury Region , after Christchurch and Timaru .
Blenheim ( /ˈblɛnɪm/ BLEN-im ; Māori : Waiharakeke ) is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough , in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand . It has an urban population of 31,600 ( June 2018 ) . The surrounding Marlborough wine region is well known as the centre of the New Zealand wine industry . It enjoys one of New Zealand 's sunniest climates , with warm , relatively dry summers and cool , crisp winters . Blenheim is named after the Battle of Blenheim ( 1704 ) , where troops led by John Churchill , 1st Duke of Marlborough defeated a combined French and Bavarian force . The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of flax stream for Waiharakeke .
The Marlborough Region ( Māori : Te Tauihu-o-te-waka , or Tauihu ) , commonly known simply as Marlborough , is one of the regions of New Zealand , located in the northeast of the South Island . Marlborough is a unitary authority , both a region and a district . Marlborough District Council is based at Blenheim , the largest town . The region has a population of 48,800 ( June 2018 ) . Marlborough is known for its dry climate , the Marlborough Sounds , and Sauvignon blanc wine . It takes its name from the earlier Marlborough Province , which was named after His Grace General The 1st Duke of Marlborough , an English general and statesman .
The Marlborough Region ( Māori : Te Tauihu-o-te-waka , or Tauihu ) , commonly known simply as Marlborough , is one of the regions of New Zealand , located in the northeast of the South Island . Marlborough is a unitary authority , both a region and a district . Marlborough District Council is based at Blenheim , the largest town . The region has a population of 48,800 ( June 2018 ) . Marlborough is known for its dry climate , the Marlborough Sounds , and Sauvignon blanc wine . It takes its name from the earlier Marlborough Province , which was named after His Grace General The 1st Duke of Marlborough , an English general and statesman .
Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region , in the South Island of New Zealand . The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch , close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River . It is considered to be a satellite town of Christchurch , although in the Waimakariri for statistical purposes it is part of the Christchurch urban area . In the 2006 census , the population of the town was 10,200 , with a further 1,700 residents in the surrounding area . This represents a growth rate of 11% over the previous five years . Kaiapoi suffered extensive damage in the 2010 Canterbury and also the February 2011 Christchurch earthquakes , which rendered many homes uninhabitable and businesses inoperable . Large areas were condemned as part of a residential red zone covering uninhabitable
Waimakariri District is a local government district , located in the Canterbury region of New Zealand 's South Island . It is named after the Waimakariri River , which forms the district 's southern boundary , separating it from Christchurch City and the Selwyn District . It is bounded in the north by the Hurunui District and in the east by the Pacific Ocean . The district was established on 1 April 1989 following the merger of Rangiora District and Eyre County . The district covers 2,219 square kilometres ( 857 sq mi ) , and is home to 61,300 people . Rangiora is the district seat and largest town , with other major towns including Kaiapoi , Oxford , Pegasus and Woodend . The current district mayor is Dan Gordon , who was elected in the 2019 local body elections .
Mosgiel /ˈmɒzɡiːl/ is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago , New Zealand , fifteen kilometres west of the city 's centre . Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area . Mosgiel has a population of approximately 13,400 as of June 2019 . The town celebrates its location , calling itself The pearl of the plain . Its low-lying nature does pose problems , making it prone to flooding after heavy rains . Mosgiel takes its name from Mossgiel Farm , Ayrshire , the farm of the poet Robert Burns , the uncle of the co-founder in 1848 of the Otago settlement , the Reverend Thomas Burns . [ note 1 ] Mosgiel stands at the north-eastern extremity of the Taieri Plains . The Silver Stream , a tributary of the Taieri River , runs through its north end . Between Mosgiel and the centre of Dunedin stand the rugged Three Mile Hill and Scroggs Hill , which form part of the crater-wall of a long-extinct volcano , the crater being the Otago Harbour . To the south of the town lies one of the many peaks that formed part of the volcano : Saddle Hill , a prominent landmark , visible from a considerable distance and notable for its distinctive shape , lies east of State Highway One where Kinmont Park , a new housing subdivision is located at the foot of the hill . The Dunedin Southern Motorway , upgraded in 2003 , links Mosgiel with the centre of Dunedin . State Highway 87 to Kyeburn starts at a junction with State Highway 1 at the southeastern edge of Mosgiel , the first part of the highway being the main street of Mosgiel , Gordon Road .
Otago ( /əˈtɑːɡoʊ/ ( listen ) , /oʊ- , ɒ-/ , Maori : Ōtākou [ ɔ : ˈta : kou ] ) is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council . It has an area of approximately 32,000 square kilometres ( 12,000 sq mi ) , making it the country 's third largest local government region . Its population was 232,300 in June 2018 . The name Otago is an Anglicisation of Otakou , the name of the Māori village near the entrance to the harbour . The exact meaning of the term is disputed , with common translations being isolated village and place of red earth , the latter referring to the reddish-ochre clay which is common in the area around Dunedin . Otago is also the old name of the European settlement on the Otago Harbour , established by the Weller Brothers in 1831 , which lies close to the modern harbourside community of Otakou . The place later became the focus of the Otago Association , an offshoot of the Free Church of Scotland , notable for its adoption of the principle that ordinary people , not the landowner , should choose the ministers . Major centres include Dunedin ( the principal city ) , Oamaru ( made famous by Janet Frame ) , Balclutha , Alexandra , and the major tourist centres Queenstown and Wanaka . Kaitangata in South Otago is a prominent source of coal . The Waitaki and Clutha rivers provide much of the country 's hydroelectric power . Some parts of the area originally covered by Otago Province are now administered by either Canterbury Regional Council or Southland Regional Council . The Central Otago wine region produces award-winning wines made from varieties such as the Pinot noir , Chardonnay , Sauvignon blanc , Merlot and Riesling grapes .
Dunedin ( /dʌˈniːdɪn/ ( listen ) duh-NEE-din ; Māori : Ōtepoti ) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand ( after Christchurch ) , and the principal city of the Otago region . Its name comes from Dùn Èideann , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh , the capital of Scotland . The urban area of Dunedin lies on the central-eastern coast of Otago , surrounding the head of Otago Harbour , and the harbour and hills around Dunedin are the remnants of an extinct volcano . The city suburbs extend out into the surrounding valleys and hills , onto the isthmus of the Otago Peninsula , and along the shores of the Otago Harbour and the Pacific Ocean . Dunedin was the largest New Zealand city by territorial land area until superseded by Auckland with the formation of the Auckland Council in November 2010 . Archaeological evidence points to lengthy occupation of the area by Māori prior to the arrival of Europeans . The province and region of Otago takes its name from the Ngai Tahu village of Otakou at the mouth of the harbour , which became a whaling station in the 1830s . In 1848 a Scottish settlement was established by the Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland . Between 1855 and 1900 many thousands of Scots emigrated to the incorporated city . Dunedin became wealthy during the Central Otago Gold Rush , beginning in the 1860s . In the mid-1860s , and between 1878 and 1881 , it was New Zealand 's largest urban area . The city population at 5 March 2013 was 120,246 .
Oamaru ( /ˌɒməˈruː/ ( listen ) ; Māori : Te Oha-a-Maru ) is the largest town in North Otago , in the South Island of New Zealand , it is the main town in the Waitaki District . It is 80 kilometres ( 50 mi ) south of Timaru and 120 kilometres ( 75 mi ) north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast ; State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connect it to both cities . With a population of 13,950 , Oamaru is the 28th largest urban area in New Zealand , and the third largest in Otago behind Dunedin and Queenstown . The name Oamaru derives from the Māori and can be translated as the place of Maru ( cf . Timaru ) . The identity of Maru remains open to conjecture .
Waitaki District is a territorial authority that is located in the Canterbury and Otago regions of the South Island of New Zealand . It straddles the traditional border between the two regions , the Waitaki River .
Queenstown ( Māori : Tāhuna ) is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand 's South Island . It has an urban population of 15,850 ( June 2018 ) , making it the 27th-largest urban area in New Zealand . In 2016 , Queenstown overtook Oamaru to become the second-largest urban area in Otago , behind Dunedin . The town is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu , a long , thin , Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes , and has views of nearby mountains such as The Remarkables , Cecil Peak , Walter Peak and just above the town , Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill . The Queenstown-Lakes District has a land area of 8,704.97 square kilometres ( 3,361.01 sq mi ) not counting its inland lakes ( Lake Hāwea , Lake Wakatipu , and Lake Wanaka ) . The region has an estimated resident population of 40,200 ( June 2018 ) . Neighbouring towns include Arrowtown , Glenorchy , Kingston , Wanaka , Alexandra , and Cromwell . The nearest cities are Dunedin and Invercargill . Queenstown is known for its commerce-oriented tourism , especially adventure and ski tourism .
Queenstown-Lakes District , a local government district , is in the Otago Region of New Zealand . It is surrounded by the districts of Central Otago , Southland , Westland and Waitaki . Much of the area is often referred to as Queenstown because of the popularity of the resort town , but the district covers a much wider area , including the towns of Wanaka to the north-east , Glenorchy to the north-west and Kingston to the south . The district is sometimes called the Southern Lakes , as it contains Lake Wakatipu , Lake Wanaka and Lake Hāwea .
Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District , in Canterbury , New Zealand . It is 29 kilometres ( 18 mi ) north of Christchurch , and is considered [ by whom ? ] a satellite town of the city . With a population of 18,300 ( June 2018 ) , Rangiora is the 25th largest urban area in New Zealand , and the fourth-largest in the Canterbury region ( behind Christchurch , Timaru and Ashburton ) .
Richmond is a town , and the seat of the Tasman District Council , that lies 13 kilometres ( 8 mi ) south of Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand , close to the southern extremity of Tasman Bay . The town was first settled in 1842 and was named in 1854 after the town of Richmond on Thames near London . By 2014 it had an estimated population of 13,606 . Although Richmond lies outside the boundaries of Nelson City , it forms part of the Nelson Urban Area for statistical purposes and is informally considered as part of Greater Nelson or the Top of the South . The two unitary authorities co-operate for tourism-marketing purposes via Latitude Nelson .
Tasman District ( Māori : Te Tai o Aorere ) is a local government district in the north of the South Island of New Zealand . It borders the Canterbury Region , West Coast Region , Marlborough Region and Nelson City . It is administered by the Tasman District Council , a unitary authority , which sits at Richmond , with community boards serving outlying communities in Motueka and Golden Bay / Mohua . The city of Nelson has its own unitary authority separate from Tasman District , and together they comprise a single region in some contexts , but not for local government functions or resource management ( planning ) functions .
Tasman District Council is the unitary local authority for the Tasman District of New Zealand .
Rolleston /ˈrɒləstən/ is the seat and largest town in the Selwyn District , in the Canterbury region of New Zealand 's South Island . It is located on the Canterbury Plains 22 kilometres ( 14 mi ) south-west of Christchurch , and is considered a satellite town of the city . The town has a population of 16,250 ( June 2018 ) , making it New Zealand 's 27th largest urban area .
Selwyn District is a predominantly rural area in central Canterbury , on the east coast of New Zealand 's South Island . It is named after the Selwyn River , which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn , the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who , in 1843 and 1844 , travelled the length of the country by horse , foot , boat and canoe , leaving in his wake a sprinkling of locations that now bear his name .
Timaru ( English : /ˈtɪməˌruː/ ; Māori : Te Tihi-o-Maru ) is a port city in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand , located 157 kilometres ( 98 mi ) southwest of Christchurch and about 196 kilometres ( 122 mi ) northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island . The Timaru urban area is home to 29,100 people , and is the largest urban area in South Canterbury , and the second largest in the Canterbury Region overall , after Christchurch . The city is the seat of the Timaru District , which includes the surrounding rural area and the towns of Geraldine , Pleasant Point and Temuka , which combined has a total population of 47,700 . Caroline Bay beach is a popular recreational area located close to Timaru 's city centre , just to the north of the substantial port facilities . Beyond Caroline Bay , the industrial suburb of Washdyke is at a major junction with State Highway 8 , the main route into the Mackenzie Country . This provides a road link to Pleasant Point , Fairlie , Twizel , Lake Tekapo , Aoraki / Mount Cook and Queenstown . Timaru has been built on rolling hills created from the lava flows of the extinct Mt Horrible volcano , which last erupted thousands of years ago . The result is that most of the main streets are undulating , a clear contrast with the flat landscape of the Canterbury Plains to the north . This volcanic rock is used for the construction of local bluestone buildings .
Timaru District is a local government district in New Zealand 's South Island administered by the Timaru District Council . It is part of the larger Canterbury region .