New Order
OPINION: If old Winston Peters thinks building trade relations with new nations, such as India, isn't a necessary investment in our future, he has rocks in his head.
The Chinese carpet market is worth US$4.8 billion.
And carpets and rugs made from NZ wool are well regarded in the market.
Wools of NZ chief executive John McWhirter says it is rightly valued for its ability to create cleaner and brighter products and for its superior yield through manufacturing.
“As a brand, Wools of New Zealand is held in high regard for its purity and global presence, and being farmer owned, gives our brand unrivalled integrity.”
He expects benefits from sales in the Chinese market to flow back to farmers over time.
“Having a flagship partner that has invested in the Wools of New Zealand brand calls into question other carpet manufacturers that falsely claim to use New Zealand wool which is one of the limiting factors on demand.
“We work hard to protect the reputation of New Zealand wool by ensuring branded products are true to provenance.”
McWhirter points out that Yangxin Ruixin is not a new user of New Zealand wool. “The Wools of New Zealand brand partnership ensures a minimum percentage of our fibre is used within the products (20% more than previously) and, more importantly, means we can work together to grow both businesses, taking market share from both plastic and non-New Zealand wool.
“The partnership is about adding value as well as increased volume. The extra wool required to meet our brand standard is immediately replacing plastic fibre.”
Farm software outfit Trev has released new integrations with LIC, giving farmers a more connected view of animal performance across the season and turning routine data capture into actionable farm intelligence.
Crafting a successful family succession plan is a notoriously hard act to pull off.
Farmers need not worry about fertiliser supply this autumn but the prices they pay will depend on how the Middle East conflict plays out.
American butter undercutting New Zealand's own product on New Zealand supermarket shelves appears to be a case of markets working as they should, says Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ).
Tech savvy Huntly farmer Rhys Darby believes technology could help solve one of the dairy industry's pressing problems - how to attract more young people into farming.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has released its 2026 election manifesto, outlining priorities to support the sector’s growth, resilience, and contribution to New Zealand’s food security and export revenue.

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