Job cuts
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy player to slash jobs.
Listed New Zealand company the a2 Milk Company - once a darling of the stock exchange - is the subject of takeover rumours.
Australian media reports that the world's largest dairy company Nestlé is eyeing the underfire manufacturer of A2-protein milk.
a2 Milk's market capitalisation had fallen from $16.1 billion to $4.7b over the past year. As the pandemic distrupted sales of its infant formula to Chinese consumers through the daigou channel, falling infant births in China and excess supply of its products also curbed consumer demand. The company had struggled to get on top of these challenges which resulting in it downgrading its earnings guidance four times in nine months.
The takeover rumour though has boosted the share price.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.