Season's first kiwifruit China bound
Zespri's first charter shipment of the 2024 New Zealand kiwifruit season is on its way to Shanghai.
The value of goods exports were up 2.5% to $4 billion for February this year but some main commodities fell.
Beef, lamb, and milk powder were just some of the falling commodities; as a result the rise was limited, says Statistics New Zealand.
The 2.5% rise equated to $96 million more than February 2015.
This month saw rises for a range of commodities, including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs (up 23%), and wine (up 34%), international statistics senior manager Stuart Jones says.
But other primary produce exports had mixed results. Milk fats (including butter) and cheese both had increases in value and quantity while other components of dairy, including milk powder, fell in value (quantity showed little change). Beef and lamb exports both fell in value, with the quantity of beef falling 7.8% and the quantity of lamb rising 4.6%.
Imports rose $108 million (2.8%) to $3.9 billion in February 2016, compared with February 2015. Consumption goods led the rise, up $121 million (12%), with the largest increases being pharmaceuticals, toys, and sporting equipment.
In February 2016 there was a goods trade surplus of $72 million (1.8% exports).
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.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…
OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…