Fat to cut
OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an 8-hour marathon hearing.
NZ’s primary sector export revenue is projected to hit a record $50.8 billion in the year to June 2022, according to latest MPI projections.
MPI’s Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) forecasts the country’s annual food and fibre export revenue will crack the $50 billion mark for the first time next year – an increase of 6% over 2021’s earnings.
This revenue will be crucial in helping pay off the huge debts the country has incurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit many parts of the NZ economy.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the outcome of the SOPI revenue projections is a testament to the primary sector’s huge efforts to keep the wheels of our national and local economies turning. He says it’s important to acknowledge the hard work of rural New Zealand and to celebrate the performance and successes in the latest SOPI.
“High demand for our dairy products combined with strong export prices are expected to deliver an estimated 10 percent increase in dairy export revenue to $20.9 billion,” O’Connor says. “Meat export revenue is forecast to increase by 6% to $11.1 billion, driven by recovering export prices and demand for our meat products.”
Horticulture export revenue is also expected to increase as well.
“Consumers can’t get enough of our fresh fruit and wine with demand remaining strong. This is driving an expected increase in export revenue of 5% to $6.9 billion,” O’Connor adds.
Forestry exports are expected to reach $6.7 billion in the year to 30 June 2022, an increase of 3% on the current year.
Meanwhile, the country’s seafood exports are recovering from the challenges posed by COVID-19, such as the disruption to food service. Seafood export revenue is forecast to rise 4% to $1.9 billion in the year to 30 June 2022, as countries open up and food service resumes.
O’Connor believes new opportunities for New Zealand primary exports have potential to see even greater returns.
“Reaching the agreement in principle for the New Zealand – United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement in October will enable our exporters to compete on a level playing field in the UK market.”
He says the NZ primary sector was meeting strong demand as consumers around the world increasingly looked to healthier food and natural fibres with strong environmental credentials.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.