Agria gives up bid to wrest control of PGW board
A move by PGG Wrightson Limited’s biggest shareholder to take control of the board has fizzled out.
Stock agents are reporting that it is only recently that herd prices have come back because of Fonterra’s lower forecast payout for the 2015-16 season and following seasons.
A Hauraki Plains agent reports one of the main problems is the limited numbers of genuine herds.
“I recently sold an ordinary herd for $1700/head, but top herds I was selling last year for $2100/2200 are now reaching only $1900/head,” he said.
He believed that representatives of Ngai Tahu have been looking for North Island herds to stock their recent dairy conversions.
PGG Wrightson livestock manager Waikato, Dean Evans, said most herds sold in his area have been priced between $1400-$1900/head. Most stayed in the North Island and 10-12 went to the South Island.
“As always quality rules and the well-presented herds with good records made up to $2150/head.
Swap Agriculture held its annual sale of in-calf heifers and carry-over cows on April 21 at Walton near Matamata, with farm manager, Vaughan Armstrong reporting a satisfactory sale.
“Of course we would have liked more. But with 112 Friesian and Friesian cross in-calf heifers averaging $1700/head and the 92 in-calf carry over cows averaging $1750/head we were happy considering the season.”
Buyers were given free grazing until June 1.
The sale was run by PGG Wrightson with Joe Harris and Mark Begovich Livestock. – Tony Hopkinson
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.