Finally, a deal is here
News that NZ and the UK have agreed 'in principle' to the terms of the free trade agreement (FTA) will come as welcome news to the dairy sector.
Milk consumption in the United Kingdom has dropped by just under 50% since 1974.
The fall in UK’s per capita consumption of milk is greater than in the US — it experienced a reduction of 40% of per capita liquid milk consumption since 1975.
The UK findings were reported within an analysis by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
According to AHDB, despite 98.5% of UK households still buying milk to drink, the average per capita consumption has fallen from 140 litres per year (2.7 litres per week), to just 70 litres (1.4 litres per week).
But it’s not all doom and gloom — AHDB reports that value-added dairy products like cheese are experiencing growth.
AHDB says that the volume of milk going into UK cheese has increase by 1.09 billion litres in the past ten years.
In contrast, the volume of milk going into liquid manufacturing has dropped by 720 million litres in the same timeframe.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.