It's all about economics
OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.
Vegetable supplies look good as New Zealand approaches the winter season but ongoing unsettled weather could still be the wild card.
That’s according to Vegetables New Zealand chair John Murphy.
“The weather’s been warm and wet as we head into winter when growing slows down,” he says in response to the release of the April 2023 food price index.
The index, released today by Stats NZ, reported a 12.5% annual increase in food prices.
The prices of fruit and vegetables rose 22.5%, an increase Stats NZ says is largely driven by tomatoes, avocados and potatoes.
“We have large and small vegetable growers spread across New Zealand,” says Murphy.
He says that this helps the industry ensure a continuity of supply, something he says is important if a severe weather event occurs in one area, setting it back three to four months.
“Last winter, we advised consumers to buy in season and that’s the advice we’re giving again as we move into the colder and darker months.
“We’d also like to encourage consumers to continue to support their country’s vegetable industry,” he says. “Our industry provides jobs for thousands of New Zealanders, in regions up and down the country, while at the same time providing kiwis with fresh, healthy, great tasting food.”
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.