Will India ink a free trade agreement with NZ?
Beef+Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has welcomed the New Zealand Government's announcement that comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations have formally commenced with India.
MPI director-general, Ray Smith believes the downturn actually bottomed out in about January, and since then says things have been on the improve but adds that every sector will have different trajectory or timeline as to when there will be an improvement.
He says the downturn has been short and sharp and hopes the recovery will be fast.
“Dairy will likely bounce back in a year, but it will take longer for meat and wool to get back to past levels,” he says Smith says for dairy, volatility may be the order of day but says there is a likely return to better farmgate pay outs with MPI predicting an $8.50 payout. He notes the problems the red meat sector is facing especially in China, but adds that the US meat market is currently very strong.
For Smith, horticulture is a rising star and says it has a lot going in its favour including consumer strong consumer demand for healthy foods such as kiwifruit. He says the apple and pear sector has recovered very well considering the devastation it suffered with Cyclone Gabrielle.
He says the other thing going for the horticultural sector is that it has the most balanced portfolio of consumer-friendly markets and is not reliant on one main market.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says it’s not been an easy year for the sector, but says his government is focused on backing farmers and growers and putting more money in their pockets so they can continue to adapt, evolve and innovate in the future. He says his government has already begun work on reducing the impact of Wellington bureaucrats on farming by cutting red tape and ensuring regulations are fit for purpose.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
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