Fonterra slashes forecast milk price, again
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Fonterra’s rural service subsidiary, Farm Source says farmer shareholders are adapting well to its new trading model under COVID-19 restrictions.
Thanks to COVID-19, Farm Source has closed all its stores: orders are placed online or over the phone.
Farmers can either collect their purchases outside the store or are dropped off at “zero-contact” collection point on-farm.
Farm Source head Richard Allen says the service has been well adopted by farmers across the country.
“Sales traffic was high in the first few days, which was not unexpected. Traffic has now reduced to more normal levels and aligned to more seasonal patterns.”
“Our phone-based service centre and online sales channel have come into their own: staff and farmers have adopted and respected this way of operating in a short period of time.”
Allen, who also looks after milk collection, says the co-op isn’t experiencing disruption or significant drop in production at this stage.
“Agriculture essential and prioritised in the lock-down for business continuity: farmers continuing to work hard on-farm and we are continuing to collect and process their milk.”
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.
Fears of a serious early drought in Hawke’s Bay have been allayed – for the moment at least.