India–New Zealand FTA talks continue in Delhi as officials pursue trade breakthrough
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
The recent squabble between the Cook Islands and NZ over their deal with China has added a new element of tension in the relationship between China and NZ.
This has been further exacerbated by the presence of Chinese navy ships in the Tasman sea.
International trade specialist Stephen Jacobi says these incidents are deeply unhelpful for NZ trying to maintain a constructive relationship with China.
He says NZ cannot afford to antagonise the Chinese.
"I can't help thinking that the way that China has played its hand suggests that they are not as well disposed to us as they might have been in the past," he says.
Jacobi has been in Australia in the past week attending a meeting of the APEC Business Council (ABAC) - an independent high-level group of business people who advise the economic leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on priority issues for business in the region.
He says there was a lot of concern among members about the possible impacts of what might happen, but he says they all seem to agree that it's best to wait and see what actually develops and then be nimble in response.
Jacobi says NZ and other ABAC partners still have a lot of investment in the future of the global rules based system and if the US wants to take itself out of that, NZ still has the rest of the world to deal with.
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
A leading financial and banking advisor says he doubts if most dairy farmers fully understand the dynamics of banking.
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